Tethered
by Tessie390
Summary: Ethan finds himself in a position where he desperately needs to be saved, but isn't, Benny vows to do what he can to keep Ethan safe, going after his attacker will be Benny's first step. Jesse/Ethan in earlier chapters. Ethan/Benny in later chapters. WARNING; vampire rape, torture, narcissism, sadism, and murder involved. NOT for the squeamish. Might change from T to M. CH. 21 up!
1. Snatched

**TETHERED**

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><p>"Tethered" is defined as either: a rope, cable etc. that holds something in place whilst allowing some movement <em>or <em>(by extension) the limit of one's abilities, resources etc. And let's just say Ethan needs to be "Untethered". **WARNING: **this story contains [vampire] rape, torture, narcissism, and sadism involved. **NOT for the squeamish.**

For those who like my _MBAV _fic, "Clueless", well, I decided to take it up a notch, one big notch. I've been wanting to do this gory story lately, and to pair Ethan and Benny. **You have been warned, **for those who don't care, enjoy and hold on to your chairs.

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><p>Chapter 1: <em>Snatched<em>

One day Ethan Morgan was walking home after school, lonely, angry. He was angry because Benny went off on one of his usual "girl chasing" pursuits, Della. "She barely pays attention to him." Ethan grumbled. Rory typically being his goofy self never stayed anywhere long and Sarah and Erica were having a GNO, girl's night out, so hanging with Sarah was out. Ethan was to himself that evening, or so he thought. Ethan was having a weird few days, his visions weren't exactly normal, but then again, having visions at all isn't really considered "normal".

Ethan was having weird and creepy visions in his bathroom, in his bed, at school, with Benny; but Ethan didn't have a clue what _any _of it meant. His dreams were even worse, he had these nightmares that you would see in a horror movie. He hadn't told anybody about them, not Sarah, Rory, or Benny, little did he know, he would wish he had. Ethan then walked under a tree where a branch broke and fell in front of him, causing him to jump back, his backpack falling on the ground. "Ahh!" Ethan yelled, looking up in the tree, he didn't see anything, "Rotten tree trying to kill me." Ethan grumbled, he reach back to pick up his back and noticed it was gone.

Ethan looked around on the ground frantically, "Now my back pack didn't just fly away."

"Not like you were about to." An evil-yet-familiar voice said behind Ethan, sending a sharp chill up his spine.

Ethan then turned around to see Jesse standing behind him, an evil smirk on his face, holding Ethan's back. Ethan immediately took a number 2 pencil out of his pocket, "What the hell are you doing here Jesse, I thought you skipped town." Ethan waving the pencil around, as a weapon.

"I did, I came back." Jesse answered, "Tsk, tsk _Ethan_, you really expect a _pencil_ to stop _me_?" Ethan pointed the pencil in Jesse's direction, as if it were a knife. Jesse then threw Ethan's back pack at him, causing Ethan to drop the pencil for his bag and that's when Jesse struck; grabbing up Ethan and his bag in a flash.

Ethan yelled as loud as he could, "Let go of me, let me go! HELP!" Ethan shouted, "HE-" Ethan was about to yell for help again until Jesse knocked Ethan's head into the tree.

"Oops." Jesse said noticing Ethan fell quiet, "You're more trouble than you're worth." Jesse stated looking at the wooden pencil on the ground. Jesse chuckled, "I can't believe he actually thought he could try to "stake" me with a pencil... the tree branch I made fall in front of him is more of a threat." Jesse scoffed and took off with Ethan over one of his shoulders, his backpack on the other.

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><p><strong>End of chapter 1. I tried to think of a better prolouge for this story but I couldn't so I just decided to jump right into it. I think in the fanfiction world we all see Jesse as the main antagonist or something and Ethan or Sarah are usually always the victim of his actions. Anyway, what do folks think so far, hated to stop so abruptly, I just didn't want the first chapter to be one of the more gory chapters that are to come. To see what's about to happen to Ethan, I <em>gotta<em> get reviews.**


	2. Tethered

**TETHERED**

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><p>A special thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! Sorry for making you wait for chapter two, which is kinda short as well, but better than nothing I suppose... I promise you, chapter 3 will come quicker and be much longer. Although right now I'm unsure of how I want chapter 3 to go, after you read this chapter, you'll see what I mean below. So here's chapter two:<p>

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><p>Chapter 2: <em>Tethered<em>

Jesse had brought Ethan back to his mansion, Ethan unconscious, Jesse stood there, eyeing the sleeping human teen, it was almost peaceful... Jesse all of a sudden hit Ethan in the face. "OW!" Ethan yelled trying to move his hand to his face only to yelp in pain again, he couldn't move his arms. He was bound, bound to a bed. Ethan had a headache, his body felt sore, and then he thought surely he had some broken teeth. "What the, Jesse? What the hell is this?"

"Shut up." Jesse commanded lowly.

Ethan was frantic, "Look, if this is about the _cublie animus_, the box is in my closet, I'll _gladly _go and get it if you let me go, won't tell a soul about this."

"Oh, I know you won't tell anyone... if you do, you'll be talking to an undertaker." Jesse threatened, "This isn't about the _cublie animus_."

Ethan shook his head, "If this is about Sarah, we're not dating. Ever since the stunt you pulled at the dance, Sarah weary about going out with anyone, she's afraid she'll bite someone's neck."

Jesse struck Ethan again, harder, "It's not about Sarah."

"Then what do you want?" Ethan asked confused, it'd be a couple months since Jesse tried to snack and go, they guessed Jesse skipped town, but apparently he decided to skip back.

Jesse began smirking again, "In due time _Ethan_." Jesse answered peering over Ethan. "Something wrong?" Jesse asked him, he could tell Ethan kept squinting his eyes.

"I can barely see, what did you do to me?" Ethan asked.

Jesse chuckled, "I gave you a blow to the head, abducted you, _literally _drug you upstairs, kicked the crap out of your unconscious form and then tied you to a bed... to think you've only been out a couple of hours."

"Wha-?" Ethan asked confused.

Jesse added, "Oh yes, it's 8 o'clock. _You_ texted that geek wizard and Sarah that you were staying at home for dinner and you texted your _whittle sister_ that you were staying over to your geeky friend's." Ethan then fell worried, "So if you think anyone's going to be out looking for you, think again." Jesse said tossing Ethan's cell phone across the room, it smashing to pieces into the wall.

"What do you want? My blood? Take it! Just let me go." Ethan asked irritated.

Jesse threatened, "Oh, your blood isn't _all_ I'm, taking."

"What else is there left for you to ta-" Ethan stopped at what the evil vampire possibly had in mind. He looked to see Jesse with a somewhat lustful expression on his face. Ethan then frantically began pulling at his restraints, "Dude _please_ let me go!" Ethan begged.

Jesse was enjoying watching Ethan try to break free, "I'm going to love doing what I'm about to do." Jesse said in a soft voice with malevolence intent in it. Jesse went over to a light switch and turned off the lights in the room, the only source of light in the room was the moonlight shining through the half-open blinds in the window.

Ethan asked him, worry apparent in his voice, "Don't you love _Sarah_?"

"_Love _has nothing to do with this, if it did, _you'd _be Sarah, but then I wouldn't want that... the last thing I need is for you to be stronger and try to retaliate." Jesse explained. Ethan watched as the vampire eyed his arm, "First things first." Jesse said taking off Ethan's wristwatch and tossing it, shortly before showing his fangs and taking a bite out of Ethan's arm. Ethan yelling in pain and objection. Jesse took his fangs out and yelled, "Shut up!" Jesse continued, "The longer I have to do this, the longer you'll be stuck here." Jesse said, blood dripping out of his mouth, he reinserted his fangs in Ethan's wrists and began drinking, Ethan whimpering in pain.

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><p><strong>Quick end of chapter 2, and the start of the gore. I originally had it where Jesse hurts Ethan here but I decided to push it to a seperate chapter (next chapter). So that way the chapter after the next you could basically continue from here and not miss much. But to see <em>anything more<em>, I _need_ get reviews. When I update this story, it'll likely be pushed up to M, it's very discriptive but not so much, just to be safe. But in the same token, I might skip the gruesome next chapter and bring that one in later. Trust me, Jesse's going to hurt Ethan in the worst way imaginable... for now I might let your imaginations be the place of what I have planned for the next chapter (thus pushing the chapter I have planned after it up to chapter 3)... do you get it?**


	3. Tortured

**TETHERED**

Chapter 3: _Tortured_-Rewrite

**10:07PM**

It had been almost 2 hours since Jesse abducted Ethan, and started drinking his blood, but one thing quickly turned into another, and those two hours are two that Ethan will never forget.

"When you stop blubbering like a baby, get dressed and I will gladly take you home." Ethan was sobbing on the floor in a fetal position, in severe pain, pain he had never felt before. All the years of both Ethan, Benny, and Rory being bullied combined didn't compare to what Jesse had done to Ethan... he basically just took everything from Ethan. Jesse picked up his own clothes off the floor and put them on. "Ethan, I had fun, didn't you?" The vampire asked, the boy sobbing on the floor. "I already know you won't tell anyone about this... but in case you do, I have even more fun planned... I already do anyway, but it'll give me a pretext to do it again."

Jesse was half dressed, he pulled his pants on and buttoned them. "You know Ethan, I'm not doing anything Friday night... I'll swing by and pick you up. I'd love to do this again." Jesse kicked him, "Come on you slutty loser, get dressed." Jesse was so cheerful until it wasn't even funny. Ethan continued sobbing, but got up an retrieved his clothes. "Why are you _crying_? I feel great."

"Y-y-you won't get away with t-this, Jesse." Ethan said groggily and painfully trying to put his clothes back on.

Jesse asked softly, helping Ethan back into his clothes "And who's going to stop me?" Ethan paused as Jesse whispered, "_Nobody_." In Ethan's ear, fear emerging all over Ethan's body.

**10:49PM**

Jesse brought Ethan home and Jesse bid a goodbye to his sex toy in his backyard. "Are you going to miss me?" Jesse asked him. Ethan was looking at the ground, barely able to stand, Ethan shook his head. Jesse grabbed him by the hair, "You sure you want that to be your answer?"

"I-I-I'll m-m-miss you." Ethan said softly and painfully.

Jesse released Ethan's hair, "Now was that so hard?" He asked, pulling Ethan closer to him and kissing him. "Sweet dreams my little geek, and remember, mum's the word, or your already sad life could turn _tragic._" Ethan nodded his head in understand as Jesse departed to the skies. All Ethan wanted to do was sleep, endlessly sleep. He was going through all kinds of emotions, sadness, anger, confusion, but the clear one of them all was fear. Ethan unlocked his backdoor and went inside. He knew at this later hour in the night, his parents were in bed, they weren't necessarily asleep, but they were in bed.

Ethan got upstairs and immediately hit the shower, the water as hot as he could stand it. He stood there under it for a moment, just letting the water fall all over him, he watched the floor of the tub as he saw something pink forming in the water, blood from the slowly healing wounds on his body. Ethan then took a soapy cloth and began scrubbing himself harshly... trying to clean every area that Jesse so much as laid a finger on. Ethan knew it probably would have been wiser to go to a hospital instead, but right now, he just wanted to be alone.

Ethan got out of the shower an hour later, hot and sweaty, changed into his pajamas and hopped into bed. Ethan was in so much pain, physically and mentally. His thoughts ranging from what Jesse had done that night and what he possibly had planned for in the future, what his friends and family might think, if he even decided to tell anyone. Ethan was in bed in a fetal position, staring at his bedroom walls, not getting a wink of sleep, throughout the night if he tried to sleep, he'd only wake back up, the events of the previous evening invading his mind.

**6:35AM - Friday morning**

Ethan was sleepy, but he quickly got dressed for school, and downstairs with his family, eating breakfast, well they were eating, he wasn't. He was using his fork playing with the eggs and bacon on his plate. His mother knew that something might be wrong, "Ethan, are you okay sweetie, you haven't touched your breakfast... it's not like I burned it." She joked.

"I'm sorry mom, I'm just not hungry." Ethan said softly.

His father then asking, "You're not coming down with something are you son?"

His mother then got up from the table and felt his forehead, "You don't have a fever." She then looked at her son's face, "You look weak out of your eyes though."

"He probably stayed up all night talking to Benny, didn't you?" Jane asked him.

Ethan shook his head, "No, I didn't."

"Mom, if it's okay with you, I'll just go ahead to school." Ethan said getting up from the table.

She said confused, "Uh, sure, okay Ethan, have a good day."

"Thanks mom." He said walking out the kitchen door.

Ethan didn't go to Benny's, he went straight to school. He wanted to be alone, but at the same token, Ethan wanted some company. Ethan kept a watchful eye out, he was nervous, afraid that something might happen, to him. Truthfully Ethan wanted to skip school, skip town even, he was wondering how he was going to be able to handle himself, being around Sarah and Benny without telling them.

**7:20AM - White Chapel High School**

Ethan was at his locker, quickly shuffling his books into his bag. He wasn't quick enough, Benny came to his locker soon after, "Dude, if you're mad at me, just say so."

"What are you talking about Benny?" Ethan said just staring at his locker.

Benny shut Ethan's locker, "Dude, you sent me a text saying not to bother coming over. If you were mad at me about trying to follow Della yesterday I wish you would have said, I would have gave it up... she's _still_ mad that I left her at the dance... and the fact that she's probably still scared of me. Ethan made a snort sound, the words "Benny" and "scary" in the same sentence made Ethan smile, he hadn't smiled since yesterday. Benny closed his locker and looked at his friend, "You okay E, you don't look right."

"I'm fine." Ethan said softly.

Benny then held Ethan's chin, moving his face from left to right, "Dude, your lip looks weird."

"I-I bit it." Ethan said, it was almost a question than a statement. Ethan jumped back when Benny touched him, Benny dropped his hand.

Benny didn't believe him, he chuckled "Dude you _lie_, _horribly_... come on, what _really_ happened?" Benny let go of his chin.

"I bit my lip, Benny, seriously." Ethan said more sternly. Benny simply raised an eyebrow, "Oh screw you, Benny!" Ethan said walking away.

Benny stared at Ethan walked off, Sarah walking up beside him, "Where's Ethan going?" She asked him.

"I don't know..." Benny said, pondering what was up with his friend who seems to quickly jump angrily.

**10:00AM - Second Period, History Class**

It was Mrs. Blaine's history class, Ethan didn't have the class with Benny or Sarah, but he had it with Rory. Ethan was a student who rarely fell asleep in a class, but today, he was the opposite. The class was reading in their text books and Rory sat behind Ethan, who was asleep on his desk, and snoring, it wasn't loud to the rest of the class, but it was loud to Rory. Rory gently poked Ethan in his back, whispering, "Ethan, wake up, this is the wrong class to sleep in..." Ethan didn't so much as move, "Ethan!" Rory whispered a little louder, pushing harder.

"AHH! LEAVE ME ALONE YOU FREAK!" Ethan screamed to the top of his lungs in fear.

The entire class's full attention fell on Ethan and Rory, Mrs. Blaine was sitting at her desk in the front of the room and said sternly, "Young man, one more outburst like that and I _will_ send you to the principal's office!"

Ethan was breathing heavily, "I'm sorry... Mrs. Blaine." He looked around to see the class looking angrily at him, "S-sorry guys." He then looked to see Rory staring at him angrily. Ethan then turned around and placed his head in his hands in embarrassment.

After class Rory immediately followed Ethan out of class in anger, "Ethan of all things to scream out, why call me a freak? I have enough problems getting girls around here as it is!"

"I'm _so_ sorry Rory, I just- sorry." Ethan said walking fast away from Rory.

Rory rushing to stand back in front of him, "Are you okay dude? You seem, unnerved."

"Rory leave me alone okay, I'm fine." Ethan said stepping around Rory again. Rory smelled the air and he smelled Ethan's blood after he walked away.

Two girls then walked by Rory staring at him, he put on a smile, the girl snickered and said in unison, "Freak!" Before laughing uncontrollably and walking away, Rory growling lowly.

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><p>During recess, Sarah and Ethan were walking over the school, Sarah was carrying on about something Erica had done, or was planning to do, but Ethan wasn't really paying attention and Sarah noticed, she then said to Ethan, "So I guess I'll fly my car to the moon tonight."<p>

"Oh okay." Ethan said, paying no attention to the outrageous thing Sarah had said.

Sarah sighed and grabbed Ethan's hand stopping him, "Ethan, what's going on with you today? I heard you called Rory a freak in class and what this about you being mad at Benny?"

"I'm just... I... I can't explain it Sarah... I'm just moody." Ethan answered frustrated.

Sarah then began sniffing shortly before seeing a drop of blood falling from Ethan's nose. "Oh God, Ethan! You have a nosebleed." Ethan's eyes shifted down to his nose where he saw blood slowly falling down the bridge of his upper lip. "I'll be back." Sarah said dashing off, but coming back in a matter of seconds, "Here you go Ethan." She handed him some toilet paper. He tilted his head forward a little and held the tissue to his nose. "Do you need to go to the nurse?"

"No, no!" Ethan said frantically, sounding as if he had a cold, "I-I-I'll be fine... this just happens sometimes."

Sarah noted, "It's never happened before... I just don't want to..."

"I get it Sarah." Ethan said understanding what she meant, Sarah had a hard enough time controlling her urges when she was a fledgling, and the vampire nurses showed up for a blood drive.

Benny then walked up to the two, not initially noticing that Ethan was holding his nose, "Hey Ethan I heard that, OH MY... WHO HIT YOU?"

"Okay, calm down Benny, nobody hit him, it just happened." Sarah explained. They both looked around to see Ethan leaving them behind. "E-, Ethan where are you going?" He just kept walking and holding his nose, "What is wrong with him today?" Sarah groaned.

Benny sighed, "I think it's my fault."

"How so?" She asked him.

Benny shook his head, "He's mad at me because yesterday I decided to follow Della instead of going home with him like I usually do."

"So you decided to _stalk_ a girl who's afraid of you than go home with your best friend?" Sarah asked him.

Benny then held his hands up in defense, "Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, this isn't about me, it's about Ethan!" Benny immediately changing the subject.

"Any reason why Ethan would sleep in a class? _Or_ yelling out, calling Rory a freak?" Sarah asked Benny, the two walking back into the school.

Benny pondered for a moment before answering, "He didn't go to sleep last night and Rory _is _kinda freaky."

"What about the nosebleed?" Sarah asked him, "I've _never_ seen Ethan bleeding from his _nose_."

Benny added, "Yeah, last time that happened was in elementary school when "Big John" McIntyre beat up Ethan after P.E." Benny then smacked his forehead, "Oh shi-, I know why Ethan's acting weird, he's got a bully around here."

"I wonder who..." Sarah pondered before asking, "If Ethan can "vanquish vampires" and battle with ghosts, why can't he stand up to a playground bully?"

Benny laughed, "Sarah, have you seen Ethan? He's not exactly the football team's captain; he's short, a geek, and he's more lover than fighter." Benny pointed out.

"So, what does _that_ have to do with it?" Sarah asked him angrily. "You nerds should be able to outsmart the absentminded jocks around here!"

Benny corrected her, "_Outsmart_, yes; out _punch_, no. I'll talk to Ethan tonight, see which one of these idiots are messing with him... I'll put a bunch of frogs in their lockers." Benny said deviously.

**12:35PM - Lunch Period**

The three boys were sitting down at their table eating lunch, or Benny and Rory were anyway. Ethan just sat there and stared at his plate, not even listening to their conversation, even when it turned into a conversation about him. All he heard was the words, "Earth to Ethan?" from Benny. Ethan looked at the two with a confused look. Benny sighed, "Dude, I asked you what's wrong with you today?"

"Yeah, you called me a _freak_ after _I _woke you up from sleeping in class... I could have just let Mrs. Blaine caught you." Rory said to him, he wasn't mad with Ethan, just what he said. "Girls have been pointing and laughing and calling me a freak all day!"

Benny added, "And on top of that you're moody, you look tired, you had that nosebleed this morning, your lip looks puffy, and now you're apparently not eating." Ethan was just staring at Benny, as if Benny could see right through him. "You can talk to us you know, we're your friends... the last thing we need is for you to decide to come to school one day and start pointing out the jocks."

"I-It's not a jock problem, Benny." Ethan said nervously.

Rory then asked, concern in his voice, "Then what is it? Did you have a vision?"

"No I just- I can't... no." Ethan said quietly stuttering, "I can't tell you guys."

Benny said to him, "Fine... you don't want to talk to us, you need to talk to Sarah then, she's really concerned."

"I can't tell _her_ either!" Ethan yelled, "Would you guys just leave me alone and drop it?" Ethan yelled to the top of his lungs, the other students looking at him in the lunch room.

Benny stood up and apologized for Ethan, "Sorry guys, he's a little moody today." There were a few groans just as everyone else went back to focusing on their lunch, their cell phones, and their friends.

"Dude, what is up with you today? Seriously... maybe you should go to the nurse, call your mom, tell her to come pick you up." Rory offered.

Benny suggested, "Or skip that and you use those "vampire ninja" powers of yours and just rush him home. Then I can work on a cloning spell and-"

"Guys..." Ethan interrupted trying not to yell, "I'll be fine, I'm just going for some air." Ethan then got up from the table and walked quickly out of the lunchroom, Benny and Rory watching.

Benny shook his head, "He's _not _fine, Rory, it's something definitely wrong with Ethan."

"Well if it's not a bully or one of his visions, then what the hell is it?" Rory asked picking up a sandwich left on Ethan's lunch tray. Benny gave Rory a cross look, "What... it's not like he wants it!" Rory snapped opening the saran wrapping on the sandwich.

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><p><strong>I bet no one saw this coming... I certainly didn't. I need to see reviews before you can see what's going on with Ethan.<strong>


	4. Goner

**TETHERED**

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><p><strong>A quick reply to a wonderful readerreviewer!**

**Secret Agent Codename Bob: **Jesse's not done terroizing Ethan yet. Trust me, the bite mark is coming back, Ethan can't hide it from ******! I try to watch my tenses; my hands are typing faster than my brain is processing (does that make any sense)! And if I feel I need to, I'll take you up on your offer in the future! But right now, I barely have time to come here and type/post more chapters, will try to do more this summer though!

On with the chapter!

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><p>Chapter 5: <em>Gone-r<em>

Ethan was behind the school, he needed to get away from his friend's for a while. He couldn't take their questioning and concerns. He also was afraid he'd yell out again and have all eyes on him, he didn't want to be looked at, he didn't want anything but to be alone, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, "I should have told them." He whispered to himself sadly, kicking a small rock on the ground, "They only want to help." Ethan groaned, "_Why_ didn't I tell them?" Ethan kicked the rock harshly, dust kicking with it.

"Because you want to live maybe." A low, harsh voice said. Ethan looked around frantically before the voice commanding, "Look up!" Ethan saw his worst nightmare floating in a tree in front of him. The figure then gently floated down in front of him.

Ethan snarled, "What the hell do you want?"

"Loose the attitude you little geek and you might walk around here without any _visible _injury." He threatened.

Ethan said lowly and disgusted, "You _drank _from me shortly before you _raped_ me."

"And you _enjoyed _it didn't you?" Jesse asked him stepping into Ethan's space, only inches away. Jesse basically looking over Ethan, who was shorter. Ethan just stared at the vampire. "As much as I'd _love_ to make you say you did..."

Ethan made a groaning sound and took a step back, "W-what do you want?"

"Ethan... you _forgot_!" Jesse said in a humored tone. "It's _Friday _remember, I said I wanted to do, what we did, _again_."

Ethan looked at Jesse, trying to fight tears, "Jesse no, _please?_!" Ethan begged.

"Okay are you really going to start the crying again, and at school at that?" Jesse asked him, ignoring Ethan's pleads. Jesse then jerked Ethan and pulled him closer with just one hand, "Listen, you better not make any plans tonight," Jesse threatened, "In fact, don't even go home, meet me back here after school." Ethan stared at the villainous vampire in anger, "And you'd _better_ be here or be ready to say, "Bye bye _Benny_"."

Ethan asked him, "_Why_ are you doing this? What did I do to you to deserve this?"

Jesse then pulled Ethan close to him and forced a kiss on the lips. Ethan tried his hardest to break away but he couldn't, a vision happening.

_Ethan saw himself in his bed, sobbing. Ethan could actually feel the pain he was in, in his vision, outside the vision. He saw he was sleeping on something that wasn't a pillow, it was a someone, a person. All Ethan could see of the person was their hands, one gripped around him, the other stroking his back._

Ethan then jumped out of his vision, eyes widened at the vampire still kissing him. "_Oh God, what is Jesse going to do to me to make him do _that_?_" Ethan asked himself as Jesse shoved Ethan off of him and onto the ground. "I'll see your later seer, or you'll be saying your last words to your pathetic spell master friend." Jesse threatened before taking off in a flash.

Ethan got himself up off the ground and patted and shook the dirt off of him; Ethan trying to pull himself together.

**1:45 PM - Seventh Period**

The bell had just rang and Sarah was telling Erica about Ethan on the way to their lockers. "Erica, it's something _wrong_ with him!" Sarah stressed.

Erica didn't believe it was something wrong with Ethan, than what was usually wrong with him. "Sarah, maybe he's trying to grow out of his "geekiness". To call the blonde geek a "freak" and avoid the other, kinda sounds like _me_." Erica said opening her locker.

"What about the nosebleed and busted lip?" Sarah asked her.

Erica simply asked, "Did he _tell _you his lip was busted? And maybe he's the typical nose picker, that could cause a nosebleed."

"Ethan's not _gross_ like some of the other guys around here... besides, his nose bled as if someone _punched_ him in it."

Erica scuffled around in her locker, "Well Sarah, what if the loser is being bullied, ask him who."

"Benny already tried to, Ethan told him it wasn't a bullying issue." Sarah explained.

Erica took out a single book and asked her desperate friend, "But you don't believe that."

"Not for a second. I mean he's moody, jittery, he's yelling at people, he slept in class, he's not eating... yesterday he was fine. Benny says he left Ethan yesterday to follow in behind Della and-"

Erica stopped Sarah there, "You mean to tell me that nerd is still chasing Della?"

"Yeah, Benny doesn't give up." Sarah answered.

Erica wryly chuckled, "Like she had any true interest in him. Ever since he tried to bring back her _dead_ dog she's been afraid of him."

"I know." Sarah said as Benny ran up to the two girls, out of breath.

Erica joked, "Slow down geek, and chew a breath mint while you're at it."

"I'm (deep breath), in a hurry (deep breath)!" Benny said eyeing Erica before turning to Sarah, asking quickly, "Have you seen Ethan?".

Sarah then asked him annoyed, "What now?"

"He skipped class." Benny answered.

Sarah then looked to Erica, "Well Erica, still think that Ethan's okay?" Erica had a blank expression on her face. "Thought not. Benny, name all the popular students in your sixth period math class."

"You've got... _me_." Benny joked.

Erica snickered and whispered, "You wish."

"Be serious right now Benny!" Sarah snapped.

Benny sighed, "Sarah, too many to be any of them. I mean Sarah, we're _always _harassed in our math classes, _you're _one of them." Benny said pointing to Erica, "You used to be a geek, can't you do your own hom-" Benny was then grabbed by his shirt and slammed into a wall, by Erica.

"Don't _ever_ say that." Erica threatened, wanting to do away with the haunting's of her past life before coming a vampire.

Benny asked her softly, "Even if it's true?" Oddly, Benny wasn't afraid that Erica shoved him into the wall.

Erica growled softly before letting him go, eyeing him; "You big geek, you're getting stronger. You might actually win in a fair fight... a _fair_ one." Benny just blinked at her.

"Can we focus on Ethan please?" Sarah begging of them to stop their antics.

Benny then loudly snapped his fingers, "He might have took him home."

"_Who_ might have took him home?" Sarah asked irritated.

Benny answered her in realization, "Rory! We told him he should probably go home, "R.V." flying him there and I creating an Ethan clone..." He saw Sarah fold her arms, displeased, "But I was joking of course!"

"Figures." Sarah said flatly.

Erica stuttered, "If you guys are going to find "super freak", I'm going to go." Just as Erica had finished that the bell rang. "Ethan might miss his classes and get away with it but I can't take the risk of some of the idiot teachers here calling my folks."

"Fine Erica, we can meet up later." Sarah said, as a hand was placed on her shoulder.

Erica said comforting her, "Sarah, if he's having some kind of problems, he'll come to you or _this_ loser eventually." She said pointing to Benny before walking to class.

"In a _hurtful _way, she's right you know, if Ethan wants to talk to us, he'll do it." Benny said to Sarah agreeing with Erica.

Sarah stared at the ground for a moment, "You know what, you're right, he'll talk to us when he's ready... but I don't like how he's been behaving today Benny."

"I don't either, Sarah, I don't either." He said, the two walking to class.

* * *

><p>Although his friends thought he skipped school, in truth, he never left. Ethan was in the bathroom, one by the teacher's lounge that wasn't heavily populated and used as much as the others in the school. If Ethan wasn't lurched over the toilet, throwing up in it, he was crying, or doing both at the same time. He couldn't get the images, the smells, the tastes, and the pain, all caused by Jesse, out of his mind. What was worse, he basically had to do this or Jesse would kill off the people he loved, one by one.<p>

Ethan then decided he should go to his last two classes of the day before someone noticed anything. He walked down the hall to his class when he noticed Benny watching his every move. Ethan sat in the desk in front of his friend, "Ethan where have you been?" Benny asked him worried.

"Nowhere." Ethan said softly and groggily pulling textbooks out of his bag.

Benny noticed Ethan didn't sound right to him; "Hey Ethan, could you turn around?" Ethan just sat facing forward towards the front of the classroom. He didn't want Benny to see him like this, he didn't want others to see him like this either, but especially not Benny. Benny sighed inwardly at Ethan's resilience to face him. Benny then did something he was going to feel bad about doing, but he needed to see Ethan. Benny harshly thumped the back of one of Ethan's ears to annoy him.

"Ouch, Benny, what'd you do that for?" Ethan snapped turning around to Benny.

Benny saw what he needed to see, and he felt something tugging at his heart strings. Ethan's appearance was one that would make a grown man cry. Ethan's eyes were weak and sunken, they were bloodshot, red, and since Ethan could barely talk Benny put two-and-two together. "Okay Ethan, now I _know_ something is wrong. Who made you cry?" Benny said softly for the rest of the class not to hear.

"I couldn't tell you Benny, even if I wanted to." Ethan said softly.

Benny leaned closer on his desk for Ethan to hear him, "I know you want to." Benny sighed in aggravation, "Look E, you let someone around here keep bullying you, you're gonna be like Erica! You _know _how angry she is with the girls on the cheer squad." Just then a late bell rang and a teacher walked into the classroom, the students sitting down as soon as they saw her come in. "Look, me and you are gonna talk about this later."

"No we aren't Benny, I'm gonna be busy later." Ethan said to him, remembering what Jesse said he was going to do.

Benny asked him, "Busy? Doing _what_?"

"Nothing you should concern yourself with." He answered turning his back to Benny.

Benny sighed, knowing Ethan wasn't going to tell him anything, especially right then in the middle of class.

**3:35PM - Dismissal**

Ethan met Jesse behind the school and the vampire immediately scooped up Ethan and took off in a flash with him; unknowingly to anyone else, Ethan's friends included who noticed his second disappearance of the day.

"You mean Ethan just _rushed_ out of class?" Sarah asked him closing her locker.

Benny nodded his head, "Yeah, like someone lit a fire under him."

"I'd so ask Ethan what's bothering him myself if his parents were going out tonight." Sarah said in aggravation.

Benny added, "Well _we_ _did _have plans until Ethan decided that he was gonna be "busy" tonight."

"Did he say doing what?" She asked him.

Benny shook his head, "He told me I shouldn't be worrying about it. I'm going over tonight... there's a spell in my spell book, it's a truth spell, I'd _love_ to try it out on Ethan."

"Whoa Benny," Sarah said uneasy, "As much as I want Ethan to say _something _about what's bothering him, I think it should be of his own free will. You start casting spells on him or if Rory or I were to try to hypnotize him, he'd never trust us again."

Benny pondered it for a moment before agreeing with her, "Yeah you're right, but Sarah, we've _got_ to do something."

"I know Benny, I know. Can we talk later, right now I need to catch up with Erica and make sure she doesn't sample her BFOTW." Sarah said to him.

Benny asking her confused, "BFOTW?"

"Boyfriend of the week." Sarah joked taking off, Benny lightly laughing, walking home, without Ethan.

* * *

><p>Benny walked in his front door and yelled, "Grandma I'm home!"<p>

"In the living room dear!" She yelled out from another room. Benny walked in to see her lying with her feet up on the couch reading a gardening magazine. "Benny dear, what are you doing here, shouldn't you be with Ethan?"

Benny sighed, "I probably should but lately he's been... he's not himself gram-ma."

"What do you mean?" She asked sitting up.

Benny dropped his bag on the floor and sat in a chair across from his grandmother. "Well he's been distancing himself from us, he's not eating, and he's been acting weird. He fell asleep in one class and called Rory a "freak" for waking him, then he skipped another class, and then he came in another class after he'd been crying."

"Oh my." She said shocked at Ethan's behavior.

Benny added, "I think he has a bully grandma, he looks tired, he had a wicked nosebleed this morning and his lip looked as if something punched him in the mouth."

"Did Ethan tell you this?" She asked him.

Benny shook his head, "Grandma, he won't talk about it. Not to me, Sarah, _anybody_. I think he's scared, I've tried to tell him not to be, but he insists it's not a problem."

"He will tell you when he's ready." She said to him, noticing Benny didn't feel the same way. "You have something to suggest otherwise he won't?"

Benny, "Ethan usually tells me everything, why wouldn't he tell me about this?"

"Maybe Ethan can figure he can handle it on his own, he doesn't want to worry you." She answered.

Benny replied to her, "And _that_ worries me more!" Benny paused before continuing, "I thought about casting a truth spell on Ethan." He said slowly and as innocent as he could.

"Bad idea Benjamin, bad idea." She warned him.

Benny lightly chuckled, "Sarah thought so too."

"If you were to do the spell Benny, you might not like the results. You might not like them regardless, but it'd be worse if you cast a spell over Ethan to see what he's not telling you." She saw Benny fell sadder, "It would have disastrous results. When Ethan realizes he has no control over what he tells you, or anyone else for that matter, he's immediately going to know he was placed under a spell."

Benny continued, "And like Sarah said, he'd probably think he can trust me, when he can."

"Precisely." She agreed.

Benny groaned, "I just want him to be okay gram-ma, and I have the bad feeling in my gut that he's not."

"Benjamin," She said standing up, "You'll figure out what to do." She said patting his shoulder.

Benny then asked her, "Where are you going?"

"I'm just going to assume with all that's going on with Ethan, you've forgotten that I told you I have a meeting with some other Earth Priestesses this weekend?"

Benny chuckled sheepishly and simpy uttered an, "Oops."

* * *

><p>And Benny's gut feeling was true, Jesse had done the same horrible thing to Ethan that he'd done the previous night, just more rougher and longer. Ethan found himself back in a spot on the floor sobbing, half naked. Jesse zipped his pants, "I mean seriously; it took some magic and using the <em>cubile animus <em>against me to stop me, and yet all it takes to stop you is a little-"

"Shut up!" Ethan yelled agonizingly, gripping the floor, as if the floor was the only thing keeping him alive.

Jesse smirked widely, "You know I'm not all bad _Ethan_, at least I didn't torture you like I originally wanted to. If you would quit fighting back, you wouldn't be going home sore all over with some cracked ribs and a black eye now would you?"

"S-So what, are you j-just telling me t-to, bend over and take it?" Ethan asked him angirly.

Jesse laughed, "Didn't think you were going to be so blunt... but _yes_." Jesse lightly kicked him in the back, "Hey, come on, get your shirt on. I'll take you home... or to that pathetic spell master's house." Jesse grabbed Ethan's t-shirt off the bed and threw it on the floor next to him.

"Y-You really think I'm going to let you take me to B-Benny's like this?" E-Ethan asked him, trying to get off the floor.

Jesee harshly helped Ethan off of the floor and threw him onto the wall, hands around his throat, Ethan a few inches off of the ground. "I might have given you the option," Jesse said lowly and threatening, Ethan choking loudly, "But _I'm _in control, not _you_." Jesse then released Ethan and dropped him to the floor.

Ethan fell harsly, gasping for air, eyeing the wicked vampire in fear.

* * *

><p><strong>That's chapter 4 folks and poor Ethan, he can't catch a break can he? Gimme some reviews, and I'll give you a chapter 5.<strong>


	5. Hurting

**TETHERED**

Chapter 5: _Hurting_

**11:03PM - Friday night**

Jesse dropped Ethan off in his backyard again. "Have a _good_ weekend my succulent seer." Jesse joked. "I'm going to miss you, are you going to miss me?" Jesse asked Ethan, to see what his answer might be.

Ethan looked to see that Jesse had a fist by his side forming, "I-I'll m-miss you." Ethan said nervously, flinching when Jesse wrapped his arms around him and began kissing him on the lips.

Jesse could feel the fear in the air, he broke the kiss, "Relax, you keep pleasing me like this and I might bring you back home one night unscathed." He then chuckled, "And by the way, don't think about bringing me up as a family dinner conversation, to your geeky pals, or to Sarah. If you do," Jesse then shows his fangs, "The results will be _disastrous_." Ethan's eyes opened widely at Jesse's intimidating threat. "With that, I bid you a good night Ethan. I hope you have pleasant dreams, (chuckles) I know I will." Jesse then took to the skies.

It took all the strength Ethan had left to get into the house and upstairs. Ethan found his door closed, which he found odd. He opened the door and went in, ignoring his light switch, he chucked his backpack into a corner, the corner yelping in pain, "Ouch!"

"Who's there?" Ethan yelled rushing over to flip on his light switch. To see Benny standing up off of the floor, wearing a pair of night-vision goggles. "Benny! What are you _doing _here?"

Benny 'shh-ed' Ethan, "Dude, keep your voice down your folks don't know I'm he- Ethan what happened to your _eye_?"

Ethan then 'shh-ed' Benny, "Shut up Benny!" Ethan whispered, "_You _and me _both_ shouldn't be here!"

"Dude, what happened to you?" Benny asked his friend more softer and with more concern in his voice. "And don't lie and say nothing, because we both know it's something." Ethan had tattered clothing, his hair was a mess, he was covered in scratches and bruises, and Ethan looked as if he would collapse to the floor, Ethan hadn't ate or drank in over 36 hours.

Ethan said softly, walking away from Benny, "Leave me alone, Benny. You shouldn't be sneaking into people's homes anyway."

Benny could tell with Ethan's walk that something wasn't right, "I didn't _sneak_, Jane let me in after dinner. I told her I was on a "stakeout" for you. She took my last 20 bucks to cover for me. Her price is going up!" He saw Ethan standing by his bed ignoring him. "Ethan, you can stand over there and lie to yourself fine. But your family's concerned, your friends are concerned, _I'm _concerned. Why won't you _tell me _Ethan? Don't you trust me?"

"It's not that Benny, I jus-" Ethan was cut off.

Benny walked over to Ethan and grabbed his arms, Ethan looking at Benny in shock, "Dude! Who is doing this to you?"

"N-Nobody, it's nothing!" Ethan yelled trying to pull away from Benny.

No avail, Benny was stronger, and tightening his grip even more, Ethan trying to get away, "E, look me in the eyes and tell me it's nothing." Ethan was still trying to free himself when Benny until after he heard Benny say that. He did exactly as Benny asked, Ethan staring at his green eyes, ignoring Benny's strong grip on his arms. Ethan was about to tell Benny it was nothing but after looking into Benny's concerned eyes, something else came out of Ethan's mouth. A loud wail followed by a stream of tears. Ethan fell limp in Benny's arms crying almost falling to the floor. "Whoa." Benny said holding Ethan, the two gently falling to the floor. Ethan crying loudly, Benny pulled Ethan closer to him so Ethan would cry onto him.

Benny gently rubbed his back, "Shh, Ethan I know you probably can't but you have to calm down a little." Benny said to him softly, Ethan's cries were muffled, but they were still loud enough to wake his parents. "Shh, calm yourself down Ethan. I'm not supposed to be here and neither are you, remember?" It was a moment before Ethan finally settled down some, he pulled himself off of Benny, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Ethan pack a bag, you're staying with me for a few days." Benny asked of him, a hand on Ethan's shoulder.

Ethan objected, "Benny, you don't have to-"

"Ethan I'm serious, pack a bag or I'll pack for you." Benny commanded him sternly more so than angrily. Benny wrapped his arms around Ethan and pulled him up off of the floor. Hugging him Benny said to him, "I need to handle something else first." Benny walked towards his room door, "Start packing Ethan." He said looking back at his saddened friend. Ethan stood there for a moment before going to find a duffel bag.

Benny walked from Ethan's room to Jane's, she was asleep, he knelt by her bedside, listening to her mumbling peacefully in her sleep, "Jane." Benny whispered lightly shaking her.

"Oh daddy, I don't wanna go to school, Ethan and Benny are skipping school, fighting evil ghosts." She mumbled.

Benny quietly laughed until he realized what she had just said, "Jane!" He whispered loudly shaking her roughly.

"Huh, wha- Benny? What are _you _doing in my room?" She asked him sleepily.

Benny chuckled answering her with, "Not skipping school to fight evil ghosts, that's for sure."

"Huh?" She asked him confused.

He shook his head, "You'll understand the answer when and if you remember your dream." Benny sighed, "Listen, Ethan's going to stay over at my place a few days and-"

"Benny, what's wrong with him?" Jane asked with concern cutting off Benny, "He's not coming home after school, he acting weird, or weirder than usual anyway, and the other night I heard him run his shower for the longest."

Benny answered putting a hand on her shoulder, "I don't know Jane, but don't you worry... Ethan's going to be fine." Benny didn't know what was worse, lying to himself that Ethan might be fine or Jane. Benny knew in his gut whatever this was went deeper than high school bullying.

Ethan half had his bag packed, he was throwing clothes into it, angry, at himself mostly, but Benny too. He thought, "_Of all the times to fall apart I had to do it in front of _Benny_, he _knows_ there is something wrong with me now! Why did he have to look at me like that? All that worry and concern behind those blasted and beautiful green eyes of his! Wait, did I just- I called Benny's eyes _beautiful_!_ I _called _Benny's eyes beautiful!" He sat on his bed in thought, "_I haven't cried in front of Benny or anyone for that matter since I was in elementary school and then Jesse goes and does this to me! Jesse! Oh why am I going with Benny when he'll probably come back next week looking for me! I can't stay around Benny, I've gotta go!_"

Ethan then was about to leave the room when Benny came in, "Oh good you're packed." Ethan stared nervously at Benny, "Dude come on, I'm no vampire, I wanna get to bed soon!" Benny rushed, grabbed the bag and pushed Ethan out of his bedroom door. The two walked downstairs and out the kitchen door, Benny locking it and closing it behind him. The two walked down the dark yet lamppost lit street over to his house two blocks over.

Ethan asked Benny irritated, "Benny why are you doing this? It's not like I'm going to tell you anything."

"You already did Ethan." Benny answered, Benny was holding Ethan's duffel bag in one hand, his arm wrapped around Ethan, who was walking beside him. Just then they heard a grumbling sound, Ethan already knew what it was, but he was hoping Benny didn't. "Judging from that sound you either swallowed a bear or you're hungry, when was the last time you ate?"

Silence fell between the two for a brief moment before Ethan sheepishly answered, "Two days ago."

"Tw-TWO DAYS? Ethan are you _nuts_?" Benny asked him, freaking out.

Ethan tried to rationalize his not eating, "Look Benny, humans can go for days without eating, but I've been drinking... water."

"I don't exactly call water a 3 course meal, Ethan." Benny said worried. The two walked through Benny's front yard to the front door, Benny sticking the key in. "Look Ethan, grab a shower, because I know you probably want one, while you're doing that I'll try to find you something to eat, since there are no all night pizza joints around here." Benny opened the door, Ethan going in ahead of him.

Ethan went up the stairs but stopped mid way up and turned around to see Benny staring at him, "Thanks, Benny." Ethan said softly. Benny smiled and nodded his head, Ethan then continuing upstairs.

As soon as Benny stopped seeing him, Benny said "Grandma." before taking out his cell phone.

"Hello?" Grandma Weir asked sleepily.

Benny, "Grandma, it's me."

"I really wish it weren't." she replied sleepily, "I just went to sleep Benny, whatever you've done is it so urgent it can't wait until I get back?"

Benny sighed, "It's about _Ethan,_ Gram."

Mrs. Weir sat up slightly in the bed after she heard that, "What's wrong?"

"I wish you showed that much concern when _I'm _in trouble." Benny complained.

She answered him with, "Well Ethan's not my grandson who usually lands into trouble by doing things he has no business doing."

"That's just cold, grandma." Benny commented cooly.

She sighed, "What's wrong with Ethan?"

"Everything. When I asked him who's messing with him, he started crying." Benny said opening his refrigerator to see a lack of food, he mostly saw potions in bottles and glasses and little to no food, not suitable for human consumption. Grandma Weir made a "hmm" sound over the phone. "Someone beat him up, visibly I see his previous wounds with a new addition, a black eye."

"Goodness gracious." She exclaimed.

Benny noted, "He's hurting grandma, I know he is and I don't think he wanted me to see him the way he was. I told him to stay with me a few days."

"Probably a good idea, depending on what's going on, he probably won't want his parents to worry about him or becoming curious." She answered.

Benny agreed with her, "You could say that again."

"Benny, whatever you do, don't _push_ Ethan to tell you what happened, as much as you want to know, Ethan needs to tell you on his own."

Benny asked his grandma frustrated, "How do I get Ethan to open up when he's treating me like we aren't best friends?"

"Tell Ethan exactly that, let him know you're his friend and that he can trust you and you care about him... although deep down he already knows it, eventually he'll tell you everything, probably quicker than you expect."

* * *

><p>Ethan was upstairs in Benny's shower, another night of scrubbing himself raw, another night of getting any trace of Jesse off of him. Ethan looked down at the water around his feet and noticed it had blood in it. "Oh God." Ethan groaned turning around to see if it had originated where he thought it came from, but surprisingly it wasn't, he noticed that blood trailed from his back, Jesse had bitten Ethan the night before on the back his shoulder, the wound became irritated by the scalding hot water Ethan was running. Ethan winced in pain but just stayed there under the water, trying to shrug it. All Ethan felt was pain, but now he was feeling numb, no sense of feeling, almost in the literal sense, no emotion, nothing.<p>

But something always seem to stand out to Ethan over everything else he's been through the past few days, Benny. Ethan looked to see some bar soap sitting on the edge of the tub, he picked it up and sniffed it. It had a strong cologne smell. "Benny." Ethan whispered, almost hypnotized by the smell. Ethan all of a sudden felt guilty, well more guilty than he'd been feeling before. Ethan realized he's been pushing away the one person who really wants to help him, the one person who cares about Ethan's well being over anyone else, even his family or Sarah. Ethan shook his head to get his wet hair out of his face. He whispered, "I'm so sorry, Benny. I want to tell you, but I can't even bring myself to face what's happened to me."

Ethan was a shadow of his former self, he knew it, his family knew it, his friends knew it, and his vampire rapist knows it as well. "Why didn't I try to stake him, or arm myself with holy water?" Ethan asked himself, "Why did I let Jesse hurt me a second time?" Ethan was in deep thought for a minute, just listening to the shower water hitting himself and the floor of the tub.

Just then there was a knock at the bathroom door, "Hey Ethan, are you okay in there?" Benny yelled to the door.

"I'm _fine_, Benny!" Ethan yelled, trying to convince both himself and his caring friend.

Benny continued, "Dude, don't stay in there too long, you'll shrivel up into a prune in there! Besides, I want you to try and eat something!"

"Okay, Benny!" Ethan yelled back awkwardly, he knew there was a long night ahead of him, with a long day to follow. Benny was not going to let go of what Ethan did so quickly. "_Why didn't I have more self-control of my emotions?_" Ethan harshly thought, "_There is no way I'm going to be able to sit around with Benny without him bringing this up!_"

* * *

><p>Five minutes later Ethan was out of the shower and downstairs with Benny in his pajamas, the pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. Benny had made Ethan a bowl of soup and a sandwich, Benny couldn't cook... not good anyway, plus it was a late hour to be eating dinner. Benny sat across from Ethan at the kitchen table and watched him chow down on the soup and sandwich. Benny would have joked about it under different circumstances, "Ethan slow down, if you don't choke, later on you'll have a stomach ache." Ethan eyed Benny and slowed down. Benny watched his hurting best friend, trying to keep from having a pained expression on his face. "Look E, I know you don't want to tell me what's going on. But just know I'm here if you want to. I just wanna help."<p>

Ethan kept eating as if Benny didn't say anything to him. "If it's about Sarah, or Rory, or anyone else, I won't tell them, I won't even tell my grandma."

"Benny, can we _please_ stop talking about this?" Ethan begged.

Benny fell quiet and silence fell between the two boys briefly. Benny noticed Ethan was trying to hide the arm he wasn't using for holding his spoon. He noticed light scratches on the arm, Benny pondering if he had any other marks, scratches or bruises on his body. "I take it you haven't tried to take care of your wounds." Benny noted awkwardly. Ethan dropped his spoon in the bowl and placed his other arm under the table. "Aw, Ethan!" Benny groaned.

"Uh, I think I'm ready to go to bed Benny." Ethan said quietly, eyeing the half eaten bowl of soup.

Benny noticed it was half eaten too, "Ethan, eat a little more. _Please_, if not for me, for yourself." Ethan nodded and began to eat more, pleasing Benny. Benny then said to him, in a guilty tone. "Ethan, if this happened because I let you go home alone, I just wanna say I'm sorry... my efforts to track down Della were futile anyway." Ethan chuckled lightly. "And there's a smile", Benny commented happily, "First one I've seen in days."

Ethan then fell sad again after Benny said that, "It's not your fault, Benny." Ethan said quietly, "I want to tell you what's been happening, but... there is a lot of reasons why I can't."

Benny was nodding his head in understanding, "Whenever you feel like talking to me Ethan, just know you can." Benny stood up from the table and was about to walk off before saying, "However I hope the reasons you could tell me what's been bothering you outweigh the reasons you can't."

Ethan stared at Benny as he walked to the other side of the kitchen, thinking about what he had said. The reasons to tell Benny did indeed outweigh the reasons not to tell him, but aside from Ethan's embarrassment, he feared he would risk his relationship's with his friend's and possibly along with their lives if he were to tell.

* * *

><p><strong>How's everybody liking "Tethered" so far, it's definitely not as funny as my other stories "Clueless" and "Valentine", it's more angsty really. Going to try to put <em>some <em>comedy in this, but a lot of drama's going to be rearing it's ugly head. And for those waiting for Ethan/Benny, it's coming... just not right now. Hit me up with some reviews folks, I want to keep writing this story too, and I want to know what ****YOU think!**


	6. Terrors

**TETHERED**

Chapter 6: _Terrors_

**12:30AM**

Benny was helping Ethan clean and antisepticse some of his wounds. Ethan quiet throughout it all, but flinching in pain places where Benny would put alcohol on his arms. "I bet this makes you wish you were a vampire," Benny commented, "You probably wouldn't even feel this." Ethan simply shrugged. "Any wounds underneath?" Benny asked. Ethan sat there for a minute, staring at the kitchen floor. "Ethan, you know better than I do if you keep wounds unattended they could wind up infected. You probably should be seen by a doctor, but no need to be hospitalized due to carelessness."

Ethan made a grunted laugh and stated wryly, "For once it's nice to hear that I'm not the voice of reason... and you're right." Ethan gently took his shirt off, Benny sitting next to him in shock, his mouth agape. Benny saw that scraps, cuts, and bruises covered the top of Ethan's body. "If it's any consolation, they don't hurt anymore." Ethan commented awkwardly.

Benny stood up and eyed Ethan's harmed flesh, Ethan's back was just a bad. "Oh Ethan." Benny said pained, he then noted something close to his shoulder blade, "Ethan what is this, it- did somebody try to _bite _you?" Ethan didn't answer Benny at all, when Benny said that, Ethan basically had a flashback to how that marking got on his shoulder.

_Ethan was in a dark room with Jesse, who was basically having his way with Ethan, who was crying and begging for him to stop. A naked Jesse was on the back of a naked Ethan and bit him on the back of his shoulder, Jesse still assaulting him while doing so. Jesse was drinking the blood trailing down the top of his back, he could feel Ethan's body falling limp, Jesse holding him up from behind, "You can't fall asleep _yet_." Ethan was out of breath, panting and painful yells and sobs, and he was loosing blood everywhere. Meanwhile Jesse was full of energy, doing what he was doing to Ethan was the best thing he'd ever done in years, sexually anyway._

The words, the action, it all played in Ethan's mind like a DVD stuck on repeat. Ethan put his face in his hands, he wasn't crying, he had done enough of that and had basically ran out of tears. Benny placed a comforting hand on Ethan's shoulder, he initially flinched from it, but relaxed. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, E. I feel responsible for this, I probably could have stopped it, or it may have never even happened."

"Not your fault Benny, and it wouldn't have mattered, even you wouldn't have been able to stop him." Ethan said looking at Benny, realizing he let the word "him" slip.

Benny sighed before saying, "Ethan, this is probably going to hurt, I know it hurts me." Benny took a cloth he had with some alcohol on it and placed it on the bite on Ethan's shoulder, Ethan cringing from the stinging. Benny looked at the bite mark closely, "Ethan, did a vampire do this?" Ethan ignored Benny's question, knowing he couldn't tell him the truth, as much as he wanted to. Benny knew Ethan didn't want to talk about his ordeal, but Benny was in no hurry to let the subject go, especially after seeing this. "Ethan, you're probably going to wind up sleeping in bandages and ice."

Ethan only made a grumbling sound.

**1:15AM**

Ethan was sleeping in Benny's bed tonight while Benny assumed a spot on the floor, any other time he'd make Ethan take the floor but this was one time where Ethan deserved his bed. "E, are you asleep?"

"What do you think Benny?" Ethan snapped, holding a small plastic bag of ice over his eye.

Benny responded defensively, "Okay! Geez... I was just asking."

"Benny, I'm sorry, I just..." Ethan began.

"No, don't worry about it, at least I know why you've been "emoty" all week." Benny interrupted, understanding. "Why didn't you tell _me _dude, of all people, or Sarah?"

Ethan looked to him on the floor, "Benny, _please_, don't tell Sarah."

"Okay E, I won't tell anyone unless you tell me to, but don't you think Sarah should know, she's been worried about you all week, besides, she can kick this vampire's ass, who is he anyway?"

Ethan quickly answered, "Nobody! Nobody important."

"Now you answered that pretty quickly Ethan, either you know who it is, or either _we _know who it is." Benny deduced.

Ethan sighed in frustration, begging his caring friend, "Benny, can we talk about something else, _please_?"

"Well E, aren't _you_ the one who said, if you want to get over something you need to tackle it head on?" Benny asked him.

Ethan wryly laughed, "So _now _you listen to something I say?"

"I'm sorry Ethan, somebody hurt you, and I want to get some payback on said somebody." Benny said to him.

Ethan threw his ice bag on Benny, "Can we talk about something else?"

"Cold!" Benny yelled, the ice had hit him on his face, Benny threw it back on the bed, hitting Ethan square in the eye.

Ethan yelled out a loud, "OW!"

Benny jumped up off of the floor, "Dude, I'm _so _sorry, I didn't mean to hit you." Ethan hid his face in his hands until all of a sudden he took his hands away to reveal a smile, a surprise to Benny, "What the-?" Ethan threw it back at him, laughing, Benny caught it that time though, "You faker!" Benny said to him trying to keep from laughing. "I thought I hit you somewhere!"

"Oh you did, and it hurts, just not as much as I made it seem." Ethan replied smiling.

Benny did a light chuckle, sitting on the bed next to Ethan, "Nice to know you haven't forgotten to do that."

"Do what?" Ethan asked puzzled.

Benny, "Smile, laugh... these past few days you've been... opposite yourself."

"Yeah, I-I, know Benny." Ethan said lowly.

Benny saw Ethan's mood quickly changed again, "Oh no, I guess I shouldn't have said anything."

"Benny, I'm sorry I just... I wanna tell you something, but I can't." Ethan said to him sadly.

Benny snapped, "Well what's _stopping_ ya? Ethan, whoever this vampire is we'll get him! _You _know that!"

"Benny it's not really a question of what more like why... and who... and I can't tell you." Ethan said turning over in the bed, and pulling the covers over his head, "Goodnight Benny."

Benny was shocked, "I'm sorry I keep prying Ethan, but the faster you tell us, the faster we can kick this guy's vampire ass!"

"_Us_? _We_?" Ethan asked him angrily turning back over.

Benny said nervously, "Y-yeah E, me, Sarah, Rory... Erica... maybe. You _know _Sarah and I wanna piece of this guy! Sarah might wanna keep his fangs as a trophy when she rips 'em out!"

"Shut up, Benny." Ethan said turning back over.

Benny sighed in frustration and tiredness, "Ethan _please_, don't go to sleep angry with me man! I just want to help you!" Benny begged him.

Ethan turned and looked at Benny and said softly, "I'm not mad at you Benny, not you." Ethan turned back over.

Benny lightly smiled at Ethan, ruffling his hair before saying, "G'night buddy," and retreating to his bedding on the floor. Benny didn't immediately fall asleep, neither did Ethan, but Benny eventually fell... but his mind was running with all kinds of concerns towards Ethan and his welfare. "_Ethan, bud, what is it you're not telling? We want to help you, _I _really wanna help you._"

**3:39AM**

While Benny was resting comfortably, Ethan was in hell, in his dreams anyway.

_"_Oh_ Ethan?" An eerie voice said to him, Ethan was at home walking downstairs as he heard the creepy voice. Everything was dark upstairs, downstairs everything was marigold yellow, everything, but the pools of blood all over his living room. He looked to see a body draped over his couch, it was his dad's, his mother lying on the floor in front of it. Ethan gasped in shock at the horror of what he was seeing. Just then, Ethan felt wind blow behind him followed by him being pulled up off the floor by his hair, Ethan yelled in pain "Let me go you freak!"_

_"You didn't listen to me!" Jesse said to him tauntingly. "You _told_!" Jesse then dragged Ethan to the kitchen where he saw his sister was dead, blood seeping out of her neck. "I had other plans with her, but the little bitch tried to stab me with a pencil... guessing she learned that from you." Jesse then pointed to a water spot on the floor. "Rory the traitor tried to protect her, he was about to dash holy water on me, however I got the upper hand and threw it on him."_

_"Where's Sarah and Benny?" Ethan yelled at him._

_Jesse chuckled and led Ethan upstairs where he saw Sarah on his parents bed, dead. "I _had fun_ with Sarah one last time... she was so innocent Ethan! You _killed _her."_

_"I did nothing." Ethan said shoving at Jesse, who carried him in his bedroom, where Benny lay on the floor, surrounded by a pool of his own blood._

_Jesse chuckled evilly, "The spell _master _tried to save you with a pathetic spell, all it took, was for me to take that stupid book from him and drain him dry of his tasty blood... who's going to save you _now seer_?" Jesse asked, bearing his bloody fangs._

_Ethan yelled as loud as he could._

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><p><strong>I'm going to stop this right here, I know it's kinda short, but I wanted to make the next chapter a tad bit longer. What does everyone think so far? Hit me up in the reviews please?<strong>


	7. Broken, Part 1

**TETHERED**

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><p><strong>WARNING: A very descriptive chapter ahead. It's not blunt, but young minds should probably ignore certain portions just in case. You all have been warned and will be warned one more time below! It contains parts from the chapter I skipped over to keep this story from being too mature! So replies to some of my awesome reviewers first though:<strong>

**Secret Agent Codename Bob: **You know somebody HAS to make things go horribly wrong in my stories!

**DisneyChannelLover: **Ethan's gonna be fine, eventually, he's literally got Benny.

**itrymybest: **He's going to tell, a lot sooner than you think! And Jesse's gonna get his sooner or later.

**Sam:** Glad you're enjoying reading it, I'm enjoying writing it! Hopefully I will not disappoint!

**Enjoy all!**

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><p>Chapter 7: <em>Broken (Part 1)<em>

_Ethan_ _was having one of the worst nightmares he had ever had in a few years, and it spawed from what's been happening to him the past few nights. Jesse killed his parents, his sister, he killed his friends too, and all because "he told". And Jesse was after him next, "Who's going to save you now seer_?" Jesse asked evilly, bearing his bloody fangs.__

_Ethan yelled as loud as he could, little did he know... he was actually screaming._

Benny was sleeping soundly on the floor when he heard Ethan screaming, he shot up quickly and looked around the room expecting to find some supernatural creature in his room, instead he saw nothing and got up to see why Ethan was screaming, he was being terrorized, in his dreams. Benny gently shook Ethan, Ethan began thrashing, Benny shook him harder, "Get off of me!" Ethan yelled trying to shove Benny off of him, he almost caused Benny to fall back into his night stand.

"Ethan dude, what the hell?" Benny asked at Ethan shoving him.

Ethan asked him confused, "What?"

"You shoved me!" Benny yelled, "I almost fell and broke my lamp." Benny said calming himself. He saw Ethan was breathing heavily and he looked freaked out, "You okay dude?" Ethan looked at him sternly, "Stupid question I know," Benny sat on the bed next to him, "Wanna talk about it?"

Ethan said to him mockingly, "No, I don't want to "talk about it"." He saw this hurt Benny, Ethan began to explain "I'm sorry Benny, I'm just, I just, I, I..." Ethan stopped when Benny placed a finger over his mouth.

"Stop talking E." Benny said to him softly. Ethan sighed and fell back into his pillow harshly, making a wincing sound. "Careful man." Benny said to him.

Ethan looked at his tired friend, "Benny I'm sorry, you're losing sleep and it's all because of me."

"Ethan stop apologizing, it's not your fault! I'm glad to do this, I just wish you would talk to me is all." Benny explained placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder, Ethan flinched at first but relaxed.

Ethan did a wry laugh, "Good thing I'm not home with my parents, they might think I should be put in the nuthouse... you probably do to, I wouldn't blame you if you did." Ethan said somberly.

Benny said to him sternly, "Ethan, you've got to stop doing this to yourself! Your parents wouldn't think you're ready to be placed in the nuthouse, I certainly don't, they'd just want to help you, and so does your best friend."

"Benny if I tell you the whole sad story, you'll never look at me the same again and neither will Sarah!" Ethan snapped before adding, "You might not look at me again anyway after he kills me."

"_This _is why you need to tell me E, I wanna help you, protect you!" Benny said to him, "And so would Sarah, but who says she'd even have to know anything?"

Ethan smirked, "_Please _Benny, you have a big mouth, literally."

"That's a low blow Ethan!" Benny calmed himself from being angry at Ethan's apparent stubborness, "Besides, you're acting as if you can't trust me, when you _know_ you can."

Ethan fell silent, deep in thought at what Benny last stated, he knew he could trust Benny, but it's because he _cared_ about Benny, and his other friends and family, he didn't want to tell. Ethan stared at Benny for the next minute before falling deep in thought. He let out a deep sigh and simply asked, "You really want to know?"

"Only if you're ready to tell me Ethan, I don't wanna force it out of you, especially since you're asking yourself a question you already know the answer to." Benny didn't want Ethan to feel any more guilty than he already did.

Ethan asked of him, "Benny if I tell you... you have to _promise _me you won't tell _anyone_! Not Sarah, not Rory, not your grandma, my parents... ANYBODY!" Ethan yelled.

"I promise." Benny said to him.

Ethan said to him sternly, grabbing his arm, "Benny _promise me_!"

"I promise you Ethan, _nobody's _gonna know! They won't hear it from me, I promise you!" Benny promised him, "Now E you're hurting my arm!"

**WARNING: The next portion of this chapter becomes descriptive. Young readers, I urge you to pass this portion of the chapter until I tell you it's safe. Everyone else, hold on to your chairs!**

Ethan quickly released, "Sorry Benny." Ethan fluffed his pillow before laying back on it. He began to tell Benny what had happened to him, "Well Benny, after school Wednesday, I waited for you outside, but I saw that you had other after school plans... spying on Della." The guily at those last words sat in on Benny's mind. (Quick A/N: **Bold is Ethan's "voice over", **_Italics is "replay" from other chapters._)

**Ethan contiued, "I went home by myself." **_Ethan then walked under a tree where a branch broke and fell in front of him, causing him to jump back, his backpack falling on the ground. "Ahh!" Ethan yelled, looking up in the tree, he didn't see anything, "Rotten tree trying to kill me." Ethan grumbled, he reach back to pick up his back and noticed it was gone. _**"It was weird, when I was walking, I thought it was just a rotten treebranch... until _he _appeared." **_"What the hell are you doing here Jesse, I thought you skipped town." Ethan asked waving a number 2 pencil around, as a weapon._

_"I did, I came back." Jesse answered, "Tsk, tsk Ethan, you really expect a pencil to stop me?" Ethan pointed the pencil in Jesse's direction, as if it were a knife. Jesse then threw Ethan's back pack at him, causing Ethan to drop the pencil for his bag and that's when Jesse struck; grabbing up Ethan and his bag in a flash. _**"He took my backpack," Ethan continued, "I was about to go after with the pencil, but he threw it at me; long enough for me to get it to throw me off guard. I screamed, _begged _for help, then everything blacked out." Ethan stopped.**

Benny said to him softly, "I shouldn't have followed her, I should have went home with you like I usually do." Benny then asked him out of curiosity, "Who is "he"?"

Ethan held up a hand, "_Please_, let me finish Benny, this is hard enough as it is." _Jesse had brought Ethan back to his mansion, Ethan unconscious, Jesse stood there, eyeing the sleeping human teen, it was almost peaceful... Jesse all of a sudden hit Ethan in the face. "OW!" Ethan yelled trying to move his hand to his face only to yelp in pain again, he couldn't move his arms. _**"I woke up sharply, he hit me in the face, and I was... tied to a bed. I bargained with him, begged to give him what I thought he might be after, I even told him I wouldn't tell anyone about him abducting me for it. He didn't care about it, I even thought he was after me for Sarah, he wasn't. He even texted you both, making you think it was from me." **

Benny deduced, "The next morning I assumed you were just angry with me about Della, but it wasn't you, it was from him."

"Yeah, he didn't want anyone to come looking for me." Ethan agreed._ Jesse tossed Ethan's cell phone across the room, it smashing to pieces into the wall. __"What do you want? My blood? Take it! Just let me go." Ethan asked irritated._

_Jesse threatened, "Oh, your blood isn't all I'm, taking."_

_"What else is there left for you to ta-" Ethan stopped at what the evil vampire possibly had in mind. He looked to see Jesse with a somewhat lustful expression on his face._ **"I knew then that I was a goner." Ethan stated. "He didn't want to do this to Sarah, he knew she'd fight him to the death and possibly win." **_Ethan watched as the vampire eyed his arm, "First things first." Jesse said taking off Ethan's wristwatch and tossing it, shortly before showing his fangs and taking a bite out of Ethan's arm. Ethan yelling in pain and objection. Jesse took his fangs out and yelled, "Shut up!" Jesse continued, "The longer I have to do this, the longer you'll be stuck here." Jesse said, blood dripping out of his mouth, he reinserted his fangs in Ethan's wrists and began drinking, Ethan whimpering in pain. _

"Ethan...?" Benny ask slowly, knowing that what Ethan told him next, wouldn't be good.

Ethan continued, not wanting to answer Benny's question. **"He sunk his fangs in my wrists, he slowly drank from me for two hours, knowing what pain I was in, he didn't care... but after that... that's when it got worse!" Ethan yelled to Benny in pain.** _Jesse then hopped on the bed on top of Ethan and began kissing his lips, forcing his slithery tongue in Ethan's mouth, Ethan trying to fight back, but no avail. Ethan then felt something pushing his leg, Ethan then had a look of worry splash over his face even more. Ethan then spit in Jesse's face in disgust. Jesse wiped it off with his sleeve before punching Ethan in the mouth as hard as he could, his lip bleeding slightly. "You spit anything else out and you'll wish I was going to kill you after this is over." Jesse threatened kissing Ethan on the lips again, licking the blood on them. Jesse then untied Ethan's hands from the bed posts and literally ripped Ethan's shirt off and tossed it aside._

**"I tried to get away Benny, I did, he was stronger and quicker!" Ethan said on the verge of tears. **_Jesse kicked Ethan to the floor before picking him up and shoving him back on the bed. __Jesse whispered his Ethan's ear, Jesse's other hand gently caressing Ethan's other cheek, "You know something seer, you'll beg, scream, cry, and plead for mercy and guess what...?" Jesse asked him whispering even lower, "It. Wont. Come. At all."_

_"Jesse, you don't have to do this." Ethan said meekly. He knew that this was making Jesse even more wild._

_Jesse chuckled, "And there's the begging." Jesse then hopped back on top of Ethan and began removing his pants and boxers, before tossing them away as well._

_"Why are you doing this?" Ethan asked trying to hold in tears._

_Jesse answered, "Because, I can and because I want to." He said running a hand down Ethan's thigh, Ethan unintentionally releasing a shudder, he saw Jesse got a big grin on his face. _**"He made me do, _things _to him Benny," Ethan began crying, "And he made me do them back to him." Ethan sniffled, "That's where the punch to the nose came from. I b-bit him where it hurts." **_Ethan feeling his nose snap, he let out a loud and painful muffled yelp before crying loudly, which was a bad idea because Ethan felt he was about to suffocate, blood dripping out of his nose; Ethan started gagging because a certain something was blocking his mouth's airway. _**"When he was finished with that, I threw up on the floor and then he just snapped."**

_Jesse then harshly slammed Ethan to the floor. Ethan, in pain on the floor almost too refuge to it, Ethan didn't move after he hit the floor. Jesse saw Ethan almost content with being on the floor, so Jesse started kicking him harshly. _**"Right when I thought it couldn't get worse, it got worse Benny! For his _finale_ he threw me over his bed and, and, and raped me!" Ethan cried. **_Jesse then bit Ethan on the back of his shoulder while harming Ethan in the worse way possible. Jesse had basically just took everything from Ethan. Jesse picked up his own clothes off the floor and put them on. "Ethan, I had fun, didn't _you_?" The vampire asked, the boy sobbing on the floor. "I already know you won't tell anyone about this... but in case you do, I have even more fun planned... I already do anyway, but it'll give me a pretext to do it again."_

**_IT'S SAFE TO READ AGAIN, NORMAL POINT OF VIEW._**

Ethan continued quivering, trying to fight back tears, "H-he did the same thing last night, t-told me not to tell." Ethan looked to see Benny staring at Ethan, his mouth agape and a pained expression on his face as if he were about to cry. Ethan wiped some tears from his eyes, "Benny, say something."

Benny got of the bed and walked over to the window. "Ethan this is _so _my fault." Benny said proping against the window.

"Ben-" Ethan started, getting out of bed, me made a groan sound and held his stomach, pain shooting in it. He tried his best to ignore it and he walked over to Benny. "So what Benny, you're summoning vampire's to rape your best friend?"

Benny exclaimed at what Ethan asked him, "What, NO!" Ethan titled his head to the side and gave him a look, "O-oh." Benny said akwardly, "You were joking."

Ethan placed a hand on Benny's shoulder, "The only way this is your fault is if you summoned him to do, _that_, and since you didn't... Not. Your. Fault." Ethan stressed.

"Yeah, but I was chasing Della, if I was with you I could have protected you with a spell or something, I-" Benny started frantically.

Ethan reassured him, "Benny, maybe for a few minutes you could have, but he would have probably killed you and made me watch."

"Ethan that's another question, who is _he_?" Benny asked him, Ethan looked away when Benny asked. "Uh, if you don't want to tell, I'm not going to press. But the way you talk, it's like you know him and what he's capable of, and if it's like you say Ethan he-."

Ethan interrupted him, "Jesse."

"Wh-what?" Benny asked confused, thinking he was mistaken, hoping he didn't hear Ethan say what he thought he heard him say.

Ethan took a deep breath and said as calmly as he could, "Jesse is the one, who did this to me."

Benny fell quiet for a moment simply staring at Ethan in disbelief of what he said, "Wow... now I understand why you didn't want to tell me. Now I kinda wish I didn't know. Ethan I-" before Benny could continue, Ethan threw himself into Benny, tightly hugging him.

Benny didn't really know what to do, he just held Ethan, rubbing his back.

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><p><strong>How many people are blown away, crying, or are on the floor? That's why I left that brief author's note noting a change to the category to "Angst". But to everyone worrying about Ethan's well being, he's unstable right now, but Benny's there... if he doesn't make things worse, y'all know Benny! Hit me up in the reviews please people as we count down the days until season 2 premieres in the US, June 29 at 8PM7c on Disney Channel!**

**Also note, this is the first chapter of "Tethered" I've posted without "Clueless" being posted with it!**


	8. Broken, Part 2

**TETHERED**

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><p><strong>Thank you reviewers, you all make me smile with your wonderful comments. For all wondering, Ethan's not done crying yet, but it [slowly] gets better for him. Let me hit up some quick replies:<strong>

**Sam: **Yeah I saw that typo at the end of chapter 7, it's SUPPOSED to read: "before Benny could continue, Ethan threw himself **onto** Benny, tightly hugging him." Meant to change it, but it'll be okay.

**Secret Agent Codename Bob: **Oh yeah, Vampire Hunting time indeed. Benny's not letting Jesse get away.

**lissy97: **Oooh, how'd you explain that?

Alright everybody enjoy chapter 8!

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><p>Chapter 8: <em>Broken (Part 2)<em>

"I can't believe it E, I really can't believe it." Benny said to him, shocked at what Ethan had just told him. "Did he say why?" Benny asked him. He and Benny were sitting together on the bed.

Ethan answered best he could, "I think it was his own sick and twisted version of revenge."

"That or either he was straight-up lusting for you." Benny suggested.

Ethan looked at Benny, "Dude, this isn't funny."

"I'm not laughing Ethan," Benny said to him, "But this explains your behavior the past couple of days."

Ethan asked him, "What am I going to do Benny? I don't think I could bear to be around Sarah knowing this."

"Hey," Benny said placing a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry about Sarah, she doesn't have to know."

Ethan added, "Even though she should Benny."

"Don't worry about her E, in the meantime, I think you should focus on resting and recuperating." Benny told him.

Ethan shook his head, "Easier said than done B, he'll be back for me next week, I just know it."

"Then we make you untouchable." Benny suggested.

Ethan gave him a confused look, "How?"

"I don't know, I'll try to think of something but Ethan in the meantime, you stick with me, like glue... make that super glue." Ethan snickered lightly, "And Benny get's another laugh!" He said happily.

Ethan smiled before saying "Thank you Benny."

"For what?" He asked.

Ethan smiling answered, "You, being your typical goofy self.", He playfully hit Benny, adding "You're a good friend."

"You're welcome E; trust me when I say, I won't tell anyone unless you tell me, I'll find _someway _to protect you, even if I have to follow you around like a lost puppy, and Jesse _will _get what's coming to him, even if I have to vanquish him myself." Benny told him.

Ethan had an unsure expression on his face, "I admire the optimism Benny but, it might be inevitable that someone else won't find out. And how are you going to stop Jesse by yourself?"

"Ethan please trust me," Benny begged of him, grabbing Ethan's arms, "Please?"

Ethan stared at Benny for a moment, thoughts racing in his mind, "_I know I can count on Benny, I need to stop questioning it, but this is different. But I guess that shouldn't matter. Poor Benny, he's probably so heartbroken about what happened to me, even though he did leave me after school to chase after Della, I can hardly blame him for it. Nobody saw Jesse coming back, especially with this kind of vengeance, even_ I _didn't see it coming._" Ethan stared deeply into Benny's eyes, "_Out of all the years I've been friends with Benny, I never noticed how green his eyes are, they light up his bedroom better than the moonlight does._"

Ethan sighed, "Although your antics sometimes make me think otherwise Benny, I trust you, I know I can."

"You won't regret it, E!" Benny exclaimed. Ethan simply shook his head. Benny calmed down when he asked Ethan, "Is there anything I can do for you Ethan?"

Ethan wryly asked him, "Can you track Jesse down and lop his big, vampire head off? That'd be a step in the right direction."

"Uh, okay..." Benny trailed, "I was actually referring to right now Ethan, can I do anything for you right now?"

Ethan purged his lips and said a somber and soft, "No."

"How do you feel?" Benny asked him out of sheer concern, he could tell Ethan was still down.

Ethan lightly chuckled, "Well, if it weren't for the nightmares and the physically pains and aches all over my body, I'd be better."

"No, I meant head wise." Benny said smiling at Ethan, although it was a pained smiled.

Ethan thought for a minute, "I'm kinda glad someone else knows... and that, that someone's you."

"You shouldn't have to deal with it alone Ethan." Benny said to him in a comforting tone.

Ethan was slowly getting back on the verge of tears, "I wanted to tell sooner B, I just... how could I tell you or Sarah that I was literally raped by a vampire like those stupid girls that walk off alone in the horror films? And by Jesse at that, it'd kill Sarah!"

"And she'd kill _him_." Benny added, "I get why you didn't want to tell us Ethan, I do. But whatever you thought we all might think is quite the opposite." Ethan started softly crying in his hands, Benny pulled him onto him to console his hurting friend, "You'll get through this E, trust me."

Ethan wailed, "Benny how? How am I going to handle being around Sarah or Rory, or anyone for that matter? I _barely _had control _before _I told you!"

"Ethan, I'll think of something by Monday, don't you worry about school." Ethan looked up at his friend with red eyes filled with tears. "This is all my fault and now I've roped you into this mess Benny."

Benny smiled at him, wiping a tear threatening to fall, "A mess though it may be, if anyone's to blame it's the big-headed vampire himself, Jesse. It's not your fault E."Ethan looked off from Benny with a look of disbelief. "Now dude, I think this is enough for the night, you really need to be resting."

"Yeah, rest." Ethan said flatly, sniffling, shuffling himself back into the bed. Benny was about to get up and retreat back to his bedding on the floor when Ethan grabbed his arm, "Hey Benny," Ethan began saying awkwardly, "Listen, I uh, I don't think I'm going to go back to sleep without revisiting my nightmares... could you stay... until I go to sleep anyway's!"

Benny smiled at Ethan and jumped into bed next to him, "You don't even have to ask Ethan, I'll stay as long as you need me to."

Ethan simply smiled and turned over as Benny sat up right and stared at the ceiling, his thoughts solely on Ethan and his predicament and Benny wondering what he could do to ensure Ethan's safety, along with trying to make him happy again, he knew it'd be a long time though before Ethan could be happy again, and he definitely wouldn't be the same after all of this.

To say the rest of the night, or early morning in this case, went smoothly would be stretching it. Ethan was muttering, thrashing, tossing, and turning in his sleep, Benny would often rub Ethan's arm or back or even whisper in his ear, "Nobody's going to hurt you Ethan, you're safe, Benny's here." It's as if Ethan heard him in his nightmares because Ethan would calm down moments afterwards.

Daybreak had finally come around and it was about 10 A.M., Ethan woke up when the sun was in his face, Ethan was about to turn over when he realized he couldn't, he gasped loudly when he woke up in the position he was in. Ethan woke up to being on Benny's chest, one of Benny's arms wrapped around him, and Benny was snoring lightly. Ethan didn't try to move because he didn't want to wake Benny after he kept his friend up all night to console him. Any other time, Ethan might have objected to being on Benny in this manor, but the thing was, he truly didn't mind.

Being in Benny's arms had to be the safest place and more relaxed he had felt in days. "_Benny must have gotten tired of me freaking out, so he pulled me onto him_." Ethan thought wrapping his arm over Benny's arm, "_Benny's doing so much for me, I wish I could do something more for him_." Ethan was about to go back to sleep when there was some loud knocking at Benny's window, awaking the both of them.

"What the -?" Benny questioned about the knocking but then looking down to see the boy he was holding in his arms, "Ethan! Dude I'm sorry, I just-!" Benny said frantically unwrapping himself from around Ethan.

Ethan smiled, "D-don't worry about it... I-I think I got a little bit of sleep when you... did that." Ethan said to him nervously.

They heard the knocking again, "Hey guys, I know you're in there!" The geeky voice yelled.

"Rory! Ugh!" Benny said angrily jumping out of bed, "Always in the middle of something." Benny grumbled walking over to the window raising the blinds. "What the hell do you want Rory at this time of the morning?"

Rory asked not phased by Benny's aggravation, "_Time of the morning_? Dude, it's 10 o'clock on a Saturday! Cartoons, pizza, movies, video games."

"Not this weekend Rory, now go away!" Benny said letting the blinds go, but they still hung where Rory could peep through the bottom.

Rory yelled in the window, "You're not going to let me in?"

"I might let you in if you go to the front door and ring the doorbell like everybody else." Benny said to him, letting down the rest of the blinds. Benny looked to Ethan who had a questioning expression on his face, Benny knew what was on Ethan's mind, "Like I said last night E, I won't tell anyone if you don't tell me I can. And if I was to tell, Rory would be the _last _person on the list." Benny looked at Ethan's complexion, "You look a little better Ethan, if you want, you can stay up here and rest some more, I'll deal with vampire loser."

Ethan assured Benny, "No! It's okay, I don't want to be in bed all day, that might make trying to go to sleep tonight worse."

"Okay E, let me go let that dork in." Benny said going downstairs.

Ethan commented, "And I do think I want to go to sleep, without you with me." Ethan then went on into the bathroom.

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><p><strong>Gonna close out "Broken" like that. Now I let my other story "Clueless" go on and on, slowly getting to the pairing (which it has yet to fully do after 20-something chapters). What do my readers think? Hit me up in the reviews so I can show you all what Rory is about to do... I'll give you a hint, something stupid. <strong>

**Thank you and I love you all and your reviews, I try not to make my stories "jump shark", I want to keep the MBAV characters as close as they are as possible! And speaking of that, I've got a new fic out now: it's Ethan/Sarah, Benny/Erica; "Controlling" Etharah and Bennica fans, hold on, it's about to get bumpy! And FRIDAY the season premiere of MBAV on Disney Channel in the US! Splee!**


	9. Saturday

**TETHERED**

Chapter 9: _Saturday_

Benny was downstairs letting Rory in, Benny opened the door and Rory yelled excitedly, "Wha-a-a-a-at's up?"

"_Shut up_... and get in here." Benny snapped back, closing the door after Rory walked in.

"Where's the E-man?" Rory asked looking for him.

Benny shook his head, "I wanna talk to you about that." Benny sat to him softly, "Dude, take it easy on Ethan today, he's not well."

"What's wrong with him _now_?" Rory asked him.

Benny shook his head, "He's just not well Rory, leave it at that."

"I can't just _leave it_ Benny, he's my friend too." Rory responded staring at Benny, "You _know _something." Benny continued to walk back upstairs, Rory followed him, Benny stopped about three steps up. "I can't _and won't _tell you."

Rory just stared at Benny, "You know I could _make _you tell me?"

"If you do that Rory, that'd just be wrong... and I'll make _you_ tell Ethan what you did! Ethan doesn't want anyone to know, he didn't want _me _to know."

Rory gave Benny a look of disbelief, "If it's about trust, you can trust me, I won't tell anybody."

"Ha!" Benny chuckled, "Soon as I tell you, you'd call up the _first_ person you could that would listen." Benny could see Rory was about to say something else, Benny cut him off with, "If you _really _want to know so desperately, ask Ethan to tell you. But Rory I'm warning you, it's not something anyone should _want _to hear. It's better if you don't say or ask Ethan _anything _on the subject." Benny continued up the stairs, "Hope you ate, grandma's not here."

Rory asked, "Where is s-?"

"Meeting with some other old witches, she'll be back tomorrow or Monday." Benny continued up the stairs. Benny walked in the room to see Ethan dressed and sitting on his bed, staring at the floor. "Are you sure you're going to be okay, Ethan?" Benny asked him with concern in his voice.

Ethan nodded his head, "I'll be fine."

"Well, I told blondy down there not to pester you, but that doesn't mean he won't. If he messes with you E, tell me." Benny said patting one of Ethan's shoulders. "If you need me, I'm up here getting dressed."

Ethan walked to the door, but stopped in the doorway, turning and simply said, "Thanks Benny," Before walking on. Benny stared at his doorway until he saw Ethan's silhouette disappear and his feet going down the stairs. When Ethan got downstairs he expected to see Rory, but he didn't, he saw the TV on, but didn't see the blonde geek who usually sits directly in front of it. "Rory, you down here?" Ethan asked looking around.

Ethan took a step back and bumped into something that yelled in his ear, "Boo!"

Ethan yelped as loud as he could and jumped, holding his hands up in a defensive manor. He saw Rory laughing, he wasn't, "Dude that crap is not funny! I thought you stopped doing that?"

"I did... but I started back. Besides, I thought you might laugh." Rory explained innocently. Ethan tilted his head to the side, "I did say _might_."

Ethan said dryly sitting in a chair in the living room, "Leave me alone Rory, I'm not in the mood."

"You gotta admit I freaked you out though!" Rory continued to press, Ethan ignoring the vampire, looking down at his own feet. "I'm sorry Ethan." Rory said, Ethan simply looked at him with a blank stare. "Not just for that, but for at school. I mean me, I have these wicked vampire powers, and Benny can do magic, we can easily evade bullies... we left you venerable, with a target on your back."

Ethan interrupted, "Rory I-"

"No dude, you gotta let me finish. What I was gonna say though is that in the future, I'll try to have your back more. Kinda sad when you think about it; older students at our school would rather pick on the younger, smaller, and weaker ones... n-n-not that _you're _weak Ethan, I just-"

Ethan simply smiled at him, "I know what you mean." Ethan continued, "Thanks Ror, that means a lot."

"Hey listen, Ethan," Rory started, walking over and sitting on the arm of Ethan's chair, "Inquiring minds want to know, how did all of this happen? I-If you want to tell me that is."

Ethan sighed.

Benny was upstairs, literally throwing his clothes on, he had a feeling, and it wasn't a good one. "With vampire _nut _down there, he's undoubtedly going to say something to make Ethan snap." Benny looked in his mirror and winked at himself, "Lookin' good, as usual." Then Benny heard a loud wail followed by a small thud. "What the-, what was that?" Benny exclaimed, shocked at the sound. He took off running down the stairs, once he got to the bottom, he saw that Rory was on the floor trying to hug an obviously upset Ethan, who was covering his face with his hands. "What's going on?" Benny asked, more anger in his voice, towards Rory.

"I-I was just, I-, he-" Rory began explaining as Benny held up a hand for Rory to stop.

Benny sighed aggravated, "_This_ is why I told you not to mess with Ethan!" Benny saw Rory was trying to get up off of the floor, Benny lightly shoved him back down with his foot.

"Hey!" Rory objected, he took his focus back to Ethan, placing a hand on his leg, causing Ethan to flinch. "I'm sorry Ethan, I am!"

Benny sat next to Ethan on the other edge of the chair, wrapping a comforting arm around him, "Come on E." Benny said softly, "You know how Rory is, he just _has _to know everything." Rory felt bad now, pained really, it had been years since he saw Ethan shed a tear, Rory knew something was wrong with the picture really. Benny continued to hold Ethan, "Ethan come on, don't make yourself sick." Ethan took his hands away from his face sniffling, Benny looked to see Ethan's eyes puffy, nose trying to drip, and his face and eyes red. Benny brought his hand from around his back and a tissue box appeared, Benny gestured it in front of Ethan and he took a few.

Ethan wiped his eyes and blew his nose. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

"No it's my fault." Rory said gently placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder, "I shouldn't have pressed since it's hard for you to talk about."

Ethan looked at the two, "Could you guys not tell Sarah I've been... weak."

"Hey, you're not weak Ethan." Benny said to him sternly.

Ethan made a wry chuckle, "Bet you guys didn't think this weekend you'd be comforting me huh?"

"I _did _want to do something else," Rory started but he saw Benny with an angry and even scary look on his face, Rory stammered. "B-but I'd much rather be with you Ethan." A smile then grew on Benny's face, he was content with Rory's answer.

Ethan looked up at Benny, seeing the smile on his face, a light smile was growing on Ethan's to see a smile on his. Benny looked down at Ethan when he felt his eyes on him, "Something wrong, Ethan?"

"Uh, nothing." Ethan said quickly, looking away from Benny, causing Benny to smile again.

Rory asked, "So what do you _want_ to do today Ethan?"

"Truthfully... nothing." Ethan said flatly.

They both understood why Ethan's answer was what it was. Benny suggested, "How about a walk around town, or maybe in the park?" Ethan just shrugged, "Then tonight how about pizza and a movie?"

"Yeah, there's this new ghost movie I bought on DVD last week that I've been dying to watch! Oh wait, guys I can't come!" Rory yelled.

Ethan asked, "Why?"

"Dude, my folks are home, they'll be ticked if I miss dinner again!" Rory explained.

Benny chuckled, "_So_, do what you normally do. Sneak out!"

"Benny, I do that enough when I go feed, and fulfil my duties as protector of the innocent! I'm shocked my folks haven't noticed my empty bed, plumped with pillows some nights." Rory noted.

Ethan and Benny simply smiled at what he had said, "Guess tonight it'll be you and me then, E."

As much as Ethan liked Rory's company on a good day, Ethan wasn't having a good day. "Anybody wanna play video games?" Rory asked. Both he and Benny then looked at Ethan.

Ethan looked from Benny to Rory who were awaiting his answer, "I don't want to guys, but don't let me stop you two from playing."

"I can't play with just Benny, Ethan, he cheats!" Rory exclaimed.

Benny snapped back, "I don't cheat, you just take too long to make a move!"

"Come on Benny, you _know_ in _Zombies and Cyclops_, the Cyclops doesn't move anywhere quick!" Rory defended.

Ethan yelled, "Guys, really?" Both Benny and Rory fell quiet.

"Sorry Ethan, there's _something _you have to want to do today, wanna hang out with Sarah?" Rory asked him.

Ethan quickly yelled, "No!"

"_No_?" Rory lightly laughed, "That's a first, usually you'd kill to be close to Sarah, she could keep you safe if you're worrying about seeing any jerks in public."

Ethan asked Rory, in an irritated tone, "Can we talk about something else _please_?!"

"O-okay, sure, whatever you want, Ethan!" Rory said, a little fear in his voice, he never really heard Ethan snap so harshly.

Benny was surprised at Ethan's response to Rory's as well, Benny then decided it might be best to get rid of Rory for now, "Hey Rory, you look hungry... when's the last time you fed?"

"Yesterday!" Rory happily answered, his stomach then making a growling sound, "Hmm, you're right Benny, I'd better go grab a _bite_!" Rory emphasized, his fangs showing. Rory then placed a comforting hand on Ethan's shoulder, smiling at Ethan, Ethan just stared at Rory, "I'll _fang-out _with you guys later!" Rory said, disappearing out the front door in a flash.

Benny sighed with relief, "Come on E, Rory's not the only one who needs to eat... it's still early, I'm thinking Pancake House, I'm buying."

"I don't want to eat, Benny." Ethan told him softly.

Benny said to him sternly, but caring, "Not up for a debate E, you're eating _something_, especially if _I'm_ the one buying."

"Well then don't buy for me then, Benny!" Ethan snapped.

Benny then said to him walking upstairs, "Besides, eating might get you out of this angry mood you're in."

"I don't want to, Benny," Ethan said in a whiny tone, following him, "I don't want to be seen, what will people think?"

Benny told him, trying his hardest not to make it sound like a joke, "If anyone asks or says anything, say you got in a fight... and lost." He saw that Ethan was staring at him, "Dude I'm serious, I don't know what more you could tell people... unless you tell them the truth."

"No!" Ethan yelled to him, more in fear and shame than anger.

Benny placed and hand on Ethan's shoulder and said to him softly, "I rest my case." Benny went through is dresser drawer and got his wallet and keys. "Besides Ethan, if someone messes with you, redirect them to me... I'll handle them!" Benny said to him, shaking a glowing fist, walking by Ethan, who awkwardly laughed.

* * *

><p>Ethan sat across from Benny at a table at the semi-crowded local breakfast restaurant, Benny slamming down food like there was no tomorrow, Benny not only earning stares from Ethan, but from other people in the restaurant, Benny stopped eating when he felt people's eyes on him. Benny took a deep swallow, a loud gulp could be heard, "What are you guys looking at?! I haven't ate since yesterday, give me a break!" The people slowly returned to their eating and conversating, as did Benny, Ethan still staring at him. "What?" Benny asked him annoyed, and with a mouth full.<p>

"Nothing, but you're acting like someone starved you, or the food is going to grow legs, get up, and run away!" Ethan snapped at him, Ethan barely touching his food, "Add that with the way I look, people are probably thinking we're neglected kids or something!"

Benny groaned, "Well you're mad at me for eating my food, yet you're barely touching yours." Ethan didn't say anything, Benny continued in a taunting tone, "Ethan, I'd really hate to charm up a funnel."

"Really Benny, you'd do that to me, after you know what happened to me?" Ethan whispered.

Benny asked him, "You really want to find out?" Benny sighed, "You need your strength Ethan, eat as much as you can, please... for me?" Benny asked him, almost begging. Ethan took his fork and cut a small piece of a pancake with syrup and started eating it, earning a satisfied smile from Benny.

"Benny, can I asked you a question?" Ethan asked.

Benny then shot back at him, "Can you eat and talk at the same time?" Benny wanting Ethan to continue trying to eat. Ethan simply nodded, still chewing, "Yeah, shoot." Benny could tell Ethan was about to ask him something serious.

"What about school Benny?"

Benny's eyes were shifting, he was confused, "What about it, E?"

"I mean what am I going to do, I feel like I'm about to jump out of my skin right now because I have this bad feeling Jesse's just going to come out of nowhere and snatch me up again. He _visited_ me at school yesterday." Ethan told him nervously.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback<em>

_Ethan saw his worst nightmare floating in a tree in front of him. The figure then gently floated down in front of him._

_Ethan made a groaning sound and took a step back, "W-what do you want?"_

_"Ethan... you _forgot_!" Jesse said in a humored tone. "It's _Friday_ remember, I said I wanted to do, what we did, _again_."_

_Ethan looked at Jesse, trying to fight tears, "Jesse no, _please_?!" Ethan begged._

_"Okay are you really going to start the crying again, and at school at that?" Jesse asked him, ignoring Ethan's pleads. Jesse then jerked Ethan and pulled him closer with just one hand, "Listen, you better not make any plans tonight," Jesse threatened, "In fact, don't even go home, meet me back here after school." Ethan stared at the villainous vampire in anger, "And you'd _better_ be here or be ready to say, "Bye bye _Benny._"_

* * *

><p>"After that Benny, he forced me into a kiss and shoved me on the ground and took off." Ethan said softly, "Benny, I'm going to literally be a wreck at school Monday."<p>

Benny felt his heart shatter into pieces, Benny angrily mentally questioned himself on where he was when Ethan was getting harmed. Benny placed his hand on Ethan's, and said to him in a determined tone, "I'm not going to let _anything _happen to you Ethan. I not only promise it, I _swear it_.

"I believe you'll try, Benny." Ethan said removing his hand out from under Benny's. "It's like every time I look at someone, I have to do a double take because I keep thinking it's Jeese planning his next attack."

Benny said to Ethan, in a calming voice, "He's not here Ethan, and I mean it, I'm going to protect you if it's the last thing I do."

"Thanks Benny." Ethan said to him with a smile, then asking him "What about Rory, you _know _he's going to keep prying."

Benny sighed, "Rory doesn't have to know anything unless you feel he needs to... but I advise against it, Rory will tell the first person he sees, and it'd likely be Sarah, who I wish you would tell yourself... Jesse is Sarah's ex, she doesn't care about him anymore, she'd gladly kick his vampire ass for you!"

"Benny, I can't..." Ethan whispered, "I just can't."

Benny just stared at his best friend, wondering what he could do for him.

* * *

><p>Benny decided it was best not to drag Ethan all over Whitechapel since he was frantic, scared, weak, and looked like someone used him as their own personal toy, they stayed home and played video games and watched TV, Ethan letting Benny choose mostly what they were doing. That night Ethan and Benny ordered a pizza and watched a movie involving demon hunters ridding their city of the vermin. Unlike Benny, Ethan wasn't into the movie, once nightfall fell, Ethan became jittery and anxious at every little thing; scenes involving creatures and characters appearing out of nowhere freaked Ethan, he tried his best not to let Benny see this, he didn't want to spoil Benny's night.<p>

Benny was so into the movie and every shocking event that was going down, he didn't notice that Ethan was petrified, he didn't know Ethan was anything until he felt something fall on his shoulder. "Ethan wha-", Benny stopped mid-sentence as he saw Ethan was soundly sleeping, now on his shoulder. "Aww E, you couldn't hold out until eleven?" Benny groaned reaching over him, grabbing a blanket on the couch, draping it over Ethan, then placing Ethan's head on his leg, turning down the TV a little, "Just great Ethan," Benny said softly, "The sound effects in this movie were stellar."

* * *

><p>It was the middle of the night, almost 2:30AM to be specific, and Ethan was sleeping peacefully until he was awaken, he needed to go to the bathroom. Ethan woke up stirring, realizing something; the first thing, he wasn't lying in a bed; the second, his head wasn't laying on a pillow; and finally he saw that he was sleeping on Benny's leg, Benny asleep on the arm of the couch, snoring. Ethan whispered in shock, "I fell asleep, on <em>Benny?<em>!" Ethan then questioned, "And he _let me_?!"

Ethan gently tried to get up, but then stopped when he felt something fall on him; it was Benny's hand, Benny was still snoring. "Jeez." Ethan said placing the hand on the couch and jumping off, smiling that he got off without waking Benny. He was about to make his way towards the stairs when he tripped over Benny's shoes and fell, with a loud "thud". The only light in the living room came from the moon and streetlight shinning through the window's curtains. Ethan shot up to see if Benny was awake, "He could probably sleep through a tornado if he wanted to." Ethan whispered looking down to see Benny's sneakers next to him, Ethan kicked them out of the way.

Ethan began to walk upstairs when one of the steps squeaked, Benny woke up and yelled "Don't do it!"

Ethan turned around to see Benny up, his hands glowing, lighting up the room, Ethan panicked yelled, "Benny, wait it's me!"

* * *

><p><strong>I'm going to stop "Tethered" chapter 9 right there, this isn't exactly a full cliffhanger as much as I just wanted to cut the chapter off here. Can you believe I haven't updated this story since MBAV's season 2 premiered in the US back in June?! And it's the new year, 2013, now?! I've fallen out, hopefully I can wrap this story up after by Spring, as well as "Clueless"! Thanks to all the reviewsreaders who held on and waited for a much needed update!**

**And yes Whitechapel's "Pancake House" is a mix of Waffle House and IHOP (International House of Pancakes), I wanted to be creative.**

**_Please _hit me up in the reviews so I can keep writing, because I actually wrote part of this over the Summer, so that's why it seems all over the place! I _want_ to put up a chapter 10 guys, but I NEED REVIEWS!**


	10. Cauchemar

**TETHERED**

I lost readers when I stopped updating this fic, due to my hectic life (I'm sorry), but if you thought the previous chapter was a doozy (I'm going to try to kick this story up a notch more if I can - without making it overdramatized (though it's about vampire rape), this chapter especially. Wait until you get to the end of this, I need to attract my readers back (It'd help if the show was on more in both the U.S. and Canada). **But**, the only way **I can update**, is **if I get more awesome reviews from the current readers** like I have.

Here you go, do please enjoy the powerful and lengthy 10th chapter! And Ethan's pain will begin to go away, little by little. Going to introduce a recurring OC in this fic soon, to help Ethan, a much needed additional voice.

* * *

><p>Chapter 10: <em>Cauchemar<em>

"Ethan?!" Benny asked confused running over to the light switch, "What are you doing up this late?!"

Ethan answered to him frantically, "Trying not to get shot by magic!"

"That's what happens when you creep upstairs like a burglar!" Benny answered.

Ethan stuttered, "S-so you don't hear me fall when I trip over your shoes, but you can hear the faint squeak of a stair in your sleep?!"

"You fell?" Benny asked him, obviously unaware.

Ethan scoffed and walked upstairs, yelling down to Benny, "I'm going to the bathroom, I almost did a minute ago!"

"Fine, I'm going to the bedroom!" Benny yelled, grabbing up his shoes, hoodie, and short sleeve shirt. Grumbling, "Ethan scares _me_ and _he's_ the one upset." Benny then flashed a finger toward the light switch, using magic to turn it off. Benny said a "Ha!" of success, going upstairs.

Ethan was in the bathroom, waiting for the water to warm up to wash his hands, Ethan was staring in the mirror, thinking about Benny. "_Why did Benny let me fall asleep on him? And when did I? I don't recall Benny being the first to fall asleep. And how come I seem to be okay falling asleep on him?_" All kinds of questions invaded Ethan's thoughts, but he couldn't come up with a definitive answer to any of them. "I'm losing it." Ethan whispered, shaking his head.

Ethan was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Benny calling for him, "Ethan, are you okay in there?!"

"I'm okay." Ethan said walking into Benny's room to see Benny sitting up in the bed, Ethan walked around to the other side and sat next to him. "Just glad I fell on the floor and not the stairs."

Benny turned to him, "I don't mean about that..." Benny trailed, exchanging a look with Ethan.

"Oh," Ethan then knew what Benny was referring to, "I still think about it, Benny. As much as I try to keep it off my mind, I can't." Ethan said softly, looking at Benny, who had concern (and bags) in his eyes, "And now I've pulled you into my situation." Ethan then looked away from him.

Benny interjected, "Ethan, you haven't pulled me into anything, there's no need to be ashamed, if your hurt, I want to help! And it's not a _situation_, you were raped for God's sake, and raped by a blood-sucking, revenge-seeking vampire at that." Benny then put a hand on his shoulder, "You'll get through this Ethan."

"Right now Benny, I'm having a hard time getting through anything, and he's coming back for more Benny, he said as much." Ethan told him on the verge of tears.

Benny sternly reminded Ethan of his promises, "And what did I tell you Ethan? I swear, I'm going to protect you from that bloodsucking bastard!"

"Benny watch it!" Ethan yelled to him, shrinking from Benny's hand on his shoulder, "Your hands were starting to glow again."

Benny quickly looked down at his dimming hands, "Sorry E, guess tonight's not my night for magic." Benny said sheepishly, rubbing his hands together. "And too, I guess, I just want to get payback for you."

Ethan smiled at Benny, "Thanks, B." Ethan said to him calmly.

"Anytime, E, always. Now I think you should try to get some sleep, in a more comfortable position I'm sure." Benny suggested.

Ethan lightly groaned at the thought, "Benny, there's no way I'm going to be able to sleep."

"You had no problem drifting off downstairs." Benny joked, reminding Ethan, "... or last night." Ethan nervously chuckled, hoping the moon-lit and street-lit room hid his growing blush, Ethan knew that both times he woke, he was on Benny's person. "How about this, I'll stay awake until you fall asleep?"

Ethan looked at him, trying his best not to look to anxious or hopeful that his friend would do that for him, "If you don't mind, Benny."

"Not at all Ethan, not at all." Benny assured him as Ethan scooted down in bed, Benny helping throw sheets and blankets on him.

Ethan yawned and turned over, "Good night, Benny."

"Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the vampires bite!" Benny joked, Ethan turned his head to give Benny a stern look, "Dude, I was kidding." Benny said flatly.

Ethan turned back over, with a smirk on his face, "_I know you were Benny, I know. And that's what's been helping through this... _you're _what's helping me through this. I wish I could tell you these weird feelings I have around you now, but it'd just freak you out more... or worse, and I can't have that._" Ethan thought, Ethan always did _love _Benny, but it was more of a sibling-I've-always-wanted type love, or was it? Thoughts like these flowed through Ethan's mind until he fell asleep in what seemed like minutes.

Meanwhile Benny was watching his best friend sleep, Benny thoughts focusing more on what he could do to ease Ethan's pains and get rid of his fears, and the shame Ethan seemed to walk around with now. "_Ethan, my poor buddy, I'm going to make this right. Jesse's days are numbered, something I bet has never crossed his warped mind. I just wish a knew a way, _without_ magic and spells, to make you feel better._"

After a while, when Benny saw Ethan was sleeping peacefully, he decided to get some much needed shut-eye himself. But later in the morning, before daybreak, Ethan was dreaming.

**BRIEF WARNING, NOTHING EXPLICIT OR GORY, BUT TORTURE IS INVOLVED, SKIP DOWN PAST IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THIS PORTION - EVERYONE ELSE, HANG ON. Ethan/Sarah readers might like the first part of this. And for this portion of THIS CHAPTER, text in _ITALICS _is Ethan dreaming.**

_Ethan was in math class and the bell just rang to dismiss them, Ethan and Sarah were walking to her locker. She said to him, "Ethan, your mom called last night, said they were going dancing tonight..."_

_"I told dad it was a bad idea after last time with the square dancing, but he insists he's fine; probably as long as they don't do the Tango, Copa, or go Salsa dancing." Ethan joked to her._

_Sarah lightly chuckled, "Anyway, I thought after Jane goes to bed and Benny crashes on the floor, maybe you and me could watch a scary movie... together... alone... on the couch?" Sarah asked unsure and was asking more so than stating, unsure of Ethan's response._

_"Cool, I'm looking forward to it." Ethan said to her, looking to see Benny standing by a wall, looking at Erica, "There's Benny, I'll see you tonight."_

_Sarah smiled, "It's a date." They both exchanged a nervous glance, "Well, not that kind of date."_

_"Of course." Ethan chuckled nervously, smiling at her and walking to Benny. "Dude, me and Sarah are watching a movie tonight!"_

_Benny, paying more attention to Erica who was applying red lipstick in her locker, and wiping around her mouth with a tissue to make sure none was on her face, "Yeah yeah yeah dude what ever." Erica then walked past them, winking at Benny. _

_"Let's go." Ethan said walking off._

_Benny then said to him, "Dude, you're on your own, _I've _got a date following Ms. Beautiful Vampire... check ya later!" Benny said running off after Erica._

_Ethan looked after Benny, watching him follow Erica carefully, Ethan was heartbroken. "Boo!" Ethan heard and jumped, he looked behind him to see Rory smiling and laughing, "Ethan I so totally got you man!" _

_"Whatever Rory, jeez." Ethan said pushing past him to walk home on his own._

_Rory stared at Ethan walking off, shaking his head, "He's just mad 'cause I got him, _again_!"_

_Ethan was stomping home, upset with Benny's decision to go chase after Erica, "Stupid Benny," Ethan grumbled, "Why doesn't he, just get down on his knees and confess his love for her? He'd get better results. Erica likes his blood anyway, she'd probably be glad to have Benny around to sample him like wine... vampire wine!" Ethan said then noticing that he was alone, it was getting darker in a matter of seconds, and it got cloudy. "What the- nobody said anything about rain today." Ethan looked up in the sky in surprise as a huge bolt of lighting flashed followed by a loud blast of thunder and rain. _

_Ethan pulled the hood of his hoodie over his head and buttoned his outer denim jacket, it seemed the more Ethan walked, the worse the weather got; harsh rains and winds, eardrum bursting thunder and deadly lighting flashes. Then before Ethan knew it, a huge flash of lighting blinded him and when he blinked his eyes to see his surroundings, he was surprised at who was standing in front of him, "Jesse?!"_

_"I'm back, seer!" The vampire said crazed followed by wicked maniacal laughter. Jesse then stopped abruptly, "Let's go." He said grabbing Ethan, who tried to fight him off but couldn't, Jesse took to the skies with him in a flash._

_Everything was blurry to Ethan, but he felt everything that was happening to him, just like the times Jesse actually abducted him, to brutally assault him, physically sexually, and even mentally. Like he did before, he begged of Jesse not to harm him that way and Jesse ignored him and used him like a toy, to play with and dispose of as he so chose. Like on that first night Ethan was on a floor, naked, and sobbing, Jesse's taunting voice standing over him echoed, "Ethan, you're nothing but a weak and pathetic seer, I know it, you know it, Sarah knows it, your friends and family know it! Don't feel bad your ancestors were the same. You have no true magical powers, you're no supernatural creature, you're nothing but _dinner_!" Jesse then snatched Ethan up off the floor, "C'mon."_

_Ethan blinked and tried to move but couldn't, he was strapped to a table and saw needles and tubes in his arms, in the side of his neck, he looked down to see one on his left leg and watched Jesse stick him in his right. "Jesse you bastard, let me go! You won't get away with this!" Ethan then felt himself weaken in a matter of seconds. _

_"Yes I will, you and I both will be gone before anyone has a chance to figure it out. Your family and Sarah think you're hanging out with that stupid spell caster, _he _thinks you're with Sarah." Jesse said gripping Ethan's face. "You'll make a good smoothie for a few friends of mine. This is what you're meant for Ethan, serving the dietary needs of the vampire community."_

_"Shut. Up." Ethan said softly, slipping into unconsciousness, in his sleep. Ethan was trying to yell for help but found he couldn't. He just heard Jesse's evil laughter._

_**WE'RE BACK IN NORMAL POINT OF VIEW NOW.**_

In actuality, Ethan was moaning loudly in his sleep, with a feeling of suffocation over him. Benny groaned when he heard the noises, "Not again." Benny whispered turning over to see Ethan in a deep sweat, shallow breathing, and murmuring and mumbling in pain in his sleep. "Geez, E, wake up." Benny shook Ethan with concern, Ethan was stuck in his nightmare, he yelped, or tried to, he heard Benny, but couldn't wake up. Benny grabbed Ethan, triggering a reversed vision, pulling Benny into his nightmare.

_Benny blinked and he saw he was in Ethan's nightmare, he saw the horrible predicament Ethan was in, bound to a table, blood being drained out of him at a quick pace. "Ethan!" Benny yelled to him, running over to his side. Benny lighted shook Ethan, "Ethan, wake up." _

_Ethan weakly looked to his concerned friend and could only whisper, "I am Benny. Leave. Jesse, coming back."_

_"No, you're not awake E, it's a dream... well nightmare in this case. And a really freaky one at that. Maybe you should stop watching horror movies to much huh?" Benny joked. __Ethan deeply stared at Benny. Benny's look then quickly jumped back to a serious look, "Right. Ethan, what the heck happened anyway?"_

_Ethan shrugged and weakly replied, "Don't know. _You_ triggered vision."_

_"But this isn't one of your normal ones E, this is just bête noire because of what happened to you with Jesse." Benny said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Dude, all you gotta do is wake up. Focus on waking up." _

_Ethan did as Benny told him and focus his energy out of the hell that was going on in his head._

Ethan's eyes shot open and he jumped up, screaming and hyperventilating and unknowingly to him in Benny's arms, Benny consoling him. "E, it's okay man, it was just - a night... mare." Benny trailed looking at Ethan's face in shock, not only did Ethan look like someone had put him through the wringer, there was blood under the tip of his nose.

"What?" Ethan asked Benny fearfully, wondering why Benny froze.

Benny reach behind Ethan and showed him small spots of blood on his pillow, "You had a nosebleed E, this is just not your night."

"It hasn't been my _week_ Benny." Ethan said to him trying to look down at his nose.

Benny got up and grabbed a few tissues out of a box on his dresser and walked back over to Ethan, gently placing them on his nose. "Hold them there okay?"

"Yeah, because it's obviously not my first nosebleed Benny." Ethan said sarcastically, sounding stuffy as if he had a cold.

Benny then said to him walking out of his room, "And don't talk either. I'll be back," Benny went downstairs, to call his grandmother. Benny found he left his cell phone downstairs on a coffee table, he scrolled through his phone to find his grandmother's number.

His grandmother groggily answered, "Hello?"

"Gram, it's me, I've got a problem!" Benny said frantically.

Ms. Weir sighed, "Benny, it's 4:30 A.M., my house better not be burning down... if it is, you're on your own and I'll deal with you accordingly."

"Gram-ma, I didn't do anything! Yet anyway." Benny snapped to her, "It's Ethan, there's something wrong with him."

"Ethan?" Ms. Weir asked, raising up out of her hotel bed, more concern in her voice.

Benny wryly chuckled, "So if I'm about to burn the house down you don't care, but if Ethan's in trouble you start?"

"Benjamin, what is wrong with Ethan?!" She snapped at him to get him to finish telling her.

Benny began to explain to her, "Well Gram, he just had this freaky nightmare which he pulled me into when I tried to wake him, and now he has another nosebleed."

"Hmm..." Grandma Weir pondered, "Sound as if you triggered one of Ethan's visions, were you touching him?"

Benny recalled, "Yeah, when I was trying to wake him up... that's what he thought."

"I'm coming home tomorrow Benny if that's any comfort." She told him before asking, "Has he told you what happened?"

Benny sighed and sat on the arm of the couch, "Don't tell Ethan I told you, but Jesse happened grandma, he brutalized Ethan all last weej as part of a revenge scheme and none of us ever figured it."

"Sounds like you're blaming yourself Benny, there is no blame to placed on anyone in this except Jesse, remember that." His grandma told him.

Benny replied to her, "I told Ethan that."

"Good. Is Ethan getting _any _rest?" She asked him curiously.

Benny wryly chuckled again, "That's the weird thing Gram, he only seems to when I'm in contact with him. Last night I had to hold him in my arms to get him to calm down and sleep, he fell asleep earlier tonight on me watching a movie... it's weird."

His grandmother chuckled then, "It's not weird Benny, it's because Ethan probably feels safe near you... although how that is, I do wonder."

"Ha ha Gram, real funny." Benny replied dryly.

His grandma continued, "As for Ethan's nosebleeds, he should probably seek medical attention if this keeps occuring. Is anything else wrong with him?"

"Ethan's physical scars will probably heal up soon... the mental ones are the ones I'm worried about grandma. It's like Ethan comes unhinged at every little thing now. He's like the opposite of himself." Benny explained to her.

He heard her deeply sigh on the other end, "The poor dear."

Ethan yelled from upstairs, "Benny, can I have some water?!"

"I'll be back up with some in a sec, E!" Benny yelled upstairs, taking his phone from his mouth.

Ms. Weir said to him, "Sounds like he needs you now."

"He wants _water_ Gram, not me." Benny said to her sternly.

She redirected, "True, but he wants _you_ to get it for him. His nose is bleeding, not his feet." She then added, "Like I said Benny, I'll be home tomorrow, probably before you get back from school."

"Okay Gram-ma, I'll call you tomorrow with an update." Benny told her.

Grandma Weir said to him sternly, "Please do Benny."

"Of course grandma, goodnight." He said about to end his call with her.

She corrected him, "No good _morning _Benny, you boys try to get some sleep."

"Try being the operative word there, gram." Benny told her thinking about if Ethan would even consider sleeping after what he dreamed about.

He heard Ethan snap from upstairs, "Benny, are you okay down there?! Where's my water?!"

"_Okay_, Ethan!" Benny snapped back upstairs, ending his phone call with his grandma. "He's yelling at me _now_," Benny grumbled walking into the kitchen, turning on the facet and grabbing a glass, "He wasn't yelling at me not five minutes ago when he was being terrorized in his dreams." Benny then went upstairs with a half-full glass of water for Ethan, who was still holding his nose. "I brought your water your highness." Benny said mockingly handing him the glass.

Ethan took the tissues away from his nose, which had a spot of dried blood under it, "Thank you, _squire_." Ethan shot back, taking a few sips before sitting it on Benny's nightstand.

"Good news, somewhat... grandma's coming back tomorrow." Benny said sitting down next to Ethan on the bed.

Ethan looked at him, "Why somewhat?"

"Dude, c'mon, I _rarely_ have this house and the magic potions in it to myself. If it weren't for the fact you're down, someone turning into a goat and grandma finding out, I'd throw a party!"

Ethan scoffed, "Benny, you throwing a party? Bad idea. I'd rather go to a _vampire party_ hosted by _Erica_."

"Dude, I would _so_ wanna crash that." Benny said to him excitedly.

Ethan shook his head, "Good night Benny." Then getting back down into the bed.

"So E, you have a raging nosebleed and a freaky nightmare and _now_ you want to go back to sleep?" Benny asked him confused.

Ethan turned over and answered him, "No..."

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><p><strong>End of what I bet to you guys was the shocking 10th chapter of the new <strong>_Tethered_**. Poor Ethan, still. It's still going to get worse for him, before it gets better. I want the next chapter to take place at school, see how (and if) Ethan can keep it together knowing Benny's around, but it's Benny, he's got tricks up his sleeves.**

**I know I promised everyone I'd have this up like 2 weeks ago, but busy, busy busy, it's getting closer to the end of the school year. (And why hasn't MBAV been renewed a 3rd season yet anybody know? I'd be more inspired to come back to the fics if the show was still on, reruns don't even air much anymore.) **_Clueless_** I'm still working on it guys, I just got a writers block from last update and I'm trying to flesh it out, don't worry, It'll be updated soon, because it's about to wrap up (to think it took me two years for **_Clueless_**).**

**If you want the powerful 11th chapter of this story though (which is ready for posting), you HAVE to hit me up in the reviews (which are awesome BTW, thank you ALL)!**

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><p><strong>However, I'll <em>tease<em> you guys into reviewing for Ch. 11 with some quick previews below:**

_**It's Monday morning and Benny and Ethan were eating breakfast at Benny's house,**_ "Keep number 2 pencils in your pocket at _all _times and a bottle of Holy water in your jacket pocket and you'll be fine. You so much as get a hint Jesse's around you, don't be afraid to strike!" Benny said to him slamming his hand on the table with a loud thud and his hand sparking, causing Ethan to jump.

Ethan quietly chuckled before fearfully asking Benny, "You okay, Benny? Lately you've been backfiring magic sparks."

_**Later at school, Sarah is at Benny's locker, asking about Ethan.**_ "Sarah, threatening E is only going to make it worse. All I can say is Ethan's had a hard time lately and he's trying to deal with it as best he can." Benny told her.

Sarah angirly scoffed, "_Really_? I talked to Rory yesterday, he told me Ethan was a wreck! What is going on?!" Sarah snapped. Benny growled inwardly at Sarah's mention of Rory. Worry and concern then came back into Sarah's voice in a meek whisper, "What is going on Benny?"

"I'm sorry Sarah, you're just going to have to ask Ethan." Benny said giving her a soft rub on her shoulder before walking off.

Sarah had a sad and worried expression on her face.

_**Erica (and half the school) watches as Benny looses his cool with Rory, Benny slamming Rory into a locker, **_"Benny, let go, that hurts!" Rory yelled.

"Good." Benny said letting him go, but shoving him into the locker one more time for good measure.

"I'm sorry, I didn't tell Benny I swear!" Rory was then on his knees, holding his hands, basically begging Benny for mercy.

**Review for chapter 11!**


	11. Dodge, Part 1

**TETHERED**

Chapter 11: _Dodge (Part 1)_

Ethan's weekend went by fast, faster than he wanted it to. He was enjoying his alone time with Benny and being out of the public eye. His Sunday went slightly better than his Saturday, he was still plagued with recurring remembrances of what had occured to him the past week and he constantly worried what was to come of the upcoming on; Benny's attempts to calm Ethan and make him feel safe, futile the more and more he tried to console his friend, which drove Benny's determination to act soon through the roof.

Come Monday morning, Ethan was like an elementary school kid, not wanting to go back to school for what ever reasons. Ethan even whining to Benny like a child, "Come on Benny, why? All you have to do is zap up a fake note from my mom and we're golden." Ethan pressed for Benny to do.

Benny gave Ethan a stare, while eating his cereal, "So let me get this straight, _you_, who _rarely if ever_ misses school for anything wants to skip today because you're afraid Jesse might come after you, even though I've vowed I'd be by your side almost all day? And further more, you want _me _to use magic to get you out of it?" Benny wryly chuckled, going back to his cereal, "Who are you and what have you done with the real Ethan?" Ethan fell silent, looking at the floor. "E, it's just the fear talking, and you'll stay afraid and paranoid if you let it. Keep number 2 pencils in your pocket at _all _times and a bottle of Holy water in your jacket pocket and you'll be fine. You so much as get a hint Jesse's around you, don't be afraid to strike!" Benny said to him slamming his hand on the table with a loud thud and his hand sparking, causing Ethan to jump.

Ethan unsure what to do, quietly chuckled before fearfully asking Benny, "Hey Benny, are you okay?"

"I'm fine E... why?" Benny asked him, confused why Ethan was asking about _his _well-being.

Ethan answered, fear still present in his tone, "I-it's just... lately you've been kinda moody... and your hands have been backfiring magic sparks here and there." Benny took a deep breath to calm himself, Ethan leaned closer onto the table, "If it's me Benny, tell me, I'll stop being such a worry-wort, if I can."

Benny lightly smiled at Ethan, "It's not you Ethan," placing a gentle hand on top of Ethan's on the table, Ethan looked from their hands to the trusting look in Benny's green eyes, "It's Jesse... and you can't help but worry." Benny then looked at the grandfather clock in the corner, "Dude let's roll or we'll be late. We could have took the car... the old bat took the keys with her." Benny joked, "One day, I'm going to zap up a car... a nice car, and it'll be a chick magnet!" Ethan laughed, "So you laugh now that I'm being serious?!" Benny said laughing, patting his friend's shoulder going to take his bowl to the sink.

Ethan went to get his backpack, sighing and wiping a tear from his eyes, Benny approached him grabbing his shoulder bag off of the counter. The two stood there, staring at each others eyes; brown one's looking into caring green one's, green one's looking into scared brown one's. Benny said to him gently and confidently nodding his head, "You're going to be fine Ethan."

The two stared in each other's eyes a moment longer, "Thanks Benny... for everything." Ethan said, breaking their deep stare, Ethan realizing he was beginning to feel something, and questioning what.

"You're welcome, E." Benny said then sighing in upset, feeling as if he stared at Ethan too long, wanting to know why he did that. "Let's go, or we'll definitely be late." Benny hinting to their staring contest, Ethan walked out the door first, Benny behind, locking up. His grandmother would kill him if he let someone burglarize their home under his watch.

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><p>The first class of the day went by for Ethan and Benny, they both worrying about the other since they didn't have first period together; Benny worrying about Ethan, and Jesse coming around to attack him; and Ethan worried about Jesse and Benny, and what they might do to each other.<p>

At the end of first period, what Benny didn't know, that was before class, Ethan had a run in with a concerned Sarah... which was more like a run away. Benny was at his locker, exchanging his books in his shoulder bag when Sarah came up and slammed his locker shut, causing Benny to jump back. "Okay Benny, I _know _you know what's wrong with Ethan. Spill." Sarah then crossed her arms.

"Ethan didn't tell you?" Benny asked her confused, trying to avoid telling her, or seeing if Ethan told her anything.

Sarah sighed in frustration, "What do you think?! No! I've been trying to be nice as a can to Ethan, and I want to help him with what ever problems he's having here if I can. But now he's trying to avoid me at all costs! He better be glad his parents aren't going anywhere and he's staying with you."

"Sarah, threatening E is only going to make it worse. All I can say is Ethan's had a hard time lately and he's trying to deal with it as best he can." Benny told her.

Sarah angrily scoffed, "Really? I talked to Rory yesterday and he told me Saturday Ethan was an emotional wreck! What is going on?!" Sarah snapped. Benny growled inwardly at Sarah's mention of Rory. Worry and concern then came back into Sarah's voice in a whisper, "What is going on Benny?"

"Look Sarah," Benny started, "I'll tell you what I told Ethan, 'to talk about it when you're ready to talk about it.'"

Sarah asked to him then, "But that's the thing Benny, what exactly is _it_?"

"I'm sorry Sarah, you're just going to have to ask Ethan." Benny said giving her a soft rub on her shoulder before walking off.

Sarah had a sad and worried expression on her face as she watched Benny disappear in the mix of crowded students in the hall.

Benny angrily knew where he was going next, to find big-mouthed Rory. Benny saw Rory at his locker, gawking at Erica who was talking to a football player down the hall, or flirting with him actually... which just fed Benny's rage. Benny snatched Rory out of his locker and slammed him harshly into the one next to his. "Benny?!" Rory asked shocked and scared to see it was an angry Benny who shoved him into a locker and not a jock. What really scared Rory more, was that Benny's hand's were glowing and they were hurting him. "Benny, let go, that hurts!" Rory yelled.

"Good." Benny said letting him go, but shoving him into the locker one more time for good measure.

Rory looked down at his jacket, "Dude, you burned it!"

"In a minute I'm going to burn you!" Benny snapped, "What possessed you to tell Sarah that Ethan was an 'emotional wreck'?"

Rory stammered seeing the look in Benny's face, "I-I-I-I..."

"USE WORDS RORY!" Benny yelled in the blond vampire's face.

Rory, still scared quickly answered, "I-it was Sarah! She saw me in town Saturday afternoon, asked me did I see Ethan. She knew I did, she smelled him on me, more specifically his tears, w-w-hat was I supposed to do? Lie?! She told me she'd know if I did and not to! I'm sorry, I didn't tell her on purpose Benny I swear!" Rory was then on his knees, holding his hands, basically begging Benny for mercy, in front of the crowded hallway full of eyes staring. Erica included, who was interested.

Benny saw this and screamed at them, "And what are you looking at man?! Bell's about to ring in 2 seconds." And as if by magic, the bell rung, and the students watching the fiasco go down quickly ran to their classes, Rory included, but at vampire speed.

Benny then stormed off to his next class with Ethan, Erica following in amazement. "Well look at you, from nerdy and fragile geek to feared hallway bully in less than five minutes." She said to him in a flirty tone, "That's definitely a record."

"Do you need something Erica?" Benny asked in irritation.

Erica stood in front of him, "I'm not doing anything tonight, I-"

"Pass." Benny said walking around her, shocking Erica.

Erica then pushed him onto a wall, but not nearly as hard as he did Rory, she didn't want to set Benny off on her either. "So, not three days ago you were hitting on me, and now that you do something that finally catches my attention and I ask you out, you decline?"

"Yep." Benny said in an obvious tone, walking off from Erica.

Erica watched Benny walk off to class, "Hmph. His loss." Erica said walking to her class, first sniffing out the football player she turned away earlier.

Benny walked in his math class to see Ethan, who looked eager to see Benny. And then he saw Rory yell at him and run to another desk in the classroom.

"Mr. Keaner, come back to _your _desk at once and do your bellwork assignment!" The math teacher, Mrs. Fitz snapped at him out.

Rory shook his head and said nervously, "Sorry Mrs. Fitz, but I can't sit next to Benny Weir."

"I'm sorry?!" She asked him shocked at his response to her.

One student yelled in the back, "Don't worry about it Mrs. Fitz, Zach's out today, we've got an empty desk back here for Benny."

Mrs. Fitz sighed and looked at Benny, "Thank you Mr. Thomas, it's up to you Mr. Weir, but I don't want _any interruptions_, or there _will _be some detentions handed out, _that_ is a _promise_!"

Benny had a gleeful expression on his face, never once did the popular kids want Benny to sit in the back with them, it had to be because of what he did to Rory that made them want him to sit with them. Benny almost accepted until he saw the frightened expression on Ethan's face, mostly in his eyes. "Uh, thanks Marcus, I'll keep that in mind." Benny said to him, Marcus shrugged as if it were nothing, "I'm staying Mrs. Fitz."

"Fine... but I better not hear one cross word out of you _or_ Mr. Keaner or you'll _both_ be staying after school." She warned him.

Benny sat down and nodded, "Yes ma'am." Rory was looking at Benny with a mixed look of cross and fear, mostly fear. Rory knew Benny could basically do what ever he wanted to him and there would be no proof Benny did anything if Mrs. Fitz was to get on his case.

Ethan was watching, confused at what happened between those two to make Rory want to stay away from Benny and some of the popular kids to want Benny anywhere near them. Ethan shook his head, trying to do his assignment, he'd just ask Benny after class.

At the end second period, the bell then rang as Mrs. Fitz held up a stack of papers, "Everybody grab one and look at pages 230 thru 242 for examples and don't forget your fraction sheets! Mr. Anderson, come to class prepared tomorrow," She yelled warning a student who was walking out, "Mr. Keaner, stick around!"

"What?!" Rory yelled as he classmates walked by him, some snickering, "What'd I do?!" He asked upset.

Mrs. Fitz then asked him, "Would you rather go to Principal Hicks' office instead?" She asked him sternly. Rory then fell quiet, and scared.

Benny saw the situation was getting heated between Rory and their teacher, and he needed to do a memory erase spell on Mrs. Fitz quick. Benny walked up to Mrs. Fitz and tapped her shoulder, "Mrs. F?" before mumbling some inaudible Latin to her and flashing his glowing hand which was by his side, in the direction towards her face. Both Rory and Ethan caught this.

Mrs. Fitz looked at them, "Mr. Weir, what is it you need?" She asked him frustrated, obviously forgotten what she was about to say to Rory, "I have another class coming in and you have another one you need to be heading to, you and both Mr. Morgan and Keaner!"

"I just wanted to know do we have to turn it in tomorrow?" He asked as innocently as he could.

Mrs. Fitz closed her eyes and sighed, saying more calmly, "Mr. Weir, don't you always have to?"

"Just checking." Benny smiled walking off. Ethan and Rory followed.

Mrs. Fitz sat down and looked at her desk at a pink piece of paper, "Rory Keaner? Why would I be about to write him up? He's one of my best students in that class. I must have meant never-bring-supplies-to-class Chuck Anderson."

In the hallway, Rory approached Benny, "Dude, she was about to send me to Hicks because of what _you _did!"

"_No_," Benny corrected, "She was about to send you to Hicks because you told her where you were and weren't going to sit. You should thank me, I could've let her send you to Hicks."

Ethan interrupted, "Okay, what's going on with you guys? Did you two go through some kind of warp or something? Since when do the popular kids pay attention to you Benny? And why is Rory now apparently a bad boy?"

"_Puh-lease_ Ethan, this vampire ninja _already_ was a B-A-D, bad boy." Rory said cooly, earning eye-rolls from both Ethan and Benny. "I'm not thanking you Benny, you tried to kill me, You-!" As Rory was about to tell Ethan about what Benny did, they were approached by a few jocks.

Notables being, Robbie Keller, WCHS football line-backer and Omar Davis, WCHS basketball superstar. Keller looked at Ethan and Rory, simply calling them 'geeks' before looking to Benny, "Hey Weir, let us borrow you for a sec. man." Keller said wrapping an arm around Benny's shoulders, leading him down the hallway.

Ethan shook his head while Rory was fuming, Rory knew how Benny was getting the attention he was getting. Omar said to him, "Yo, heads up Weir, the fields are still wet from the rain over the weekend, I already got a heads up from first period, today is dodgeball day."

"Okay..." Benny trailed, looking at them, and the girls with them, who were smiling at Benny, girls who used to ignore him.

Robbie snapped his finger, "Pay attention Wei-, Benny, we want _you _on our side, we heard what you did to that loser over there."

"Guys, it's nothing I just-" Benny started but was cut off by Robbie.

"Ben man, it's not nothing, when you're tired of being a geek around here. We know why you did it. Good for you." Robbie said nodding his head in approval.

Omar added, "So we want _you _on our side today man. The less you're around the nerds around here the better."

"In fact-" Robbie said taking Benny's shoulder bag off, "Hey nerd, catch!" Robbie tossed the bag at Ethan, who almost dropped it. "They wanna be friends with you? Let 'em carry your water, and everything else."

Benny interjected, "Guys it's fine really, I just -"

"Weir, you're one of us now. You need one of _these_ on your shoulders instead." Omar suggested, looking at his girlfriend.

Robbie shook his head looking around for a girl suitable for Benny, "Yo E.J.!"

"_Oh no_." Benny thought, he was hoping it was someone else with those initials, but it wasn't.

Erica came over to them, "Robbie? You guys are hanging with the nerds now?"

"Nope." Omar said, "Does he look like a nerd to you?"

Erica looked over to Benny, remembering what he did to Rory, "Nope." Erica said walking over to Benny, wrapped herself around him, "He looks like another _delectable upcoming _cool person to me." Erica said softly in Benny's ears, Benny nervously laughed.

"Come on Ben, we'll walk you to class bro." Robbie suggested, they all walking off.

Benny being led by Erica, Benny looked back at Ethan nervously, Erica snapped at him, "Don't mess this up nerd, you're getting cool points now, be happy!"

"But I-" Benny started to interject.

Erica snapped, "I said _happy_!"

Ethan watched them all walk down the hallway and he then looked at Rory, asking him, wanting answers, "What _exactly _happened between you two, Rory?"

Rory just stared at Ethan, debating whether to answer him or not.

**End of chapter 11. Are my readers back yet? What do you guys think? Do I need to up this story's rating and kill off a character? More Bethan (with less seemingly Etharah and Bennica moments)? A Rory chapter involving him and a mad squirrel? - Just kidding guys. You know what to do, hit me up in the reviews for chapter 12, meanwhile, you get the preview below.**

_**After class, Rory was explaining to Ethan about why Benny shoved him into a locker; **_Rory snatched his book bag off his back and pulled out his hoodie, "Ethan, Benny burned my slevees... and my arm!" Rory then pulled his shirt sleeves up, Ethan saw already healing red marks on Rory's skin. "He's gone mad and now the popular crews want him."

_**Sarah just heard about what Benny did from another student,**_ Sarah was about to explode. "_You _beat up _Ethan_?! What the _hell _is wrong with you, Benny?!" She said, her eyes tinting gold and her fangs showing in the corners of her mouth.

Erica made a shocking move and hissed at Sarah, "Hey, back of him Sarah! He didn't touch a hair on your precious Ethan, Benny got cool off of pushing Rory. And how did you - OW!" Erica then abruptly yell in pain as she felt and then saw Benny's hands start to glow. She was about to snap at him, but she saw a look on his face, one Sarah had just seconds ago.

_**Sarah managed to catch up to Ethan and explain about a run-in she had with Benny in the hallway, **_"Ethan, I know he's your friend and all, but you better put a leash on him, next time, I _will_ fight him and then _bite_ him! He'll be the first fledgling spell master in Whitechapel." Sarah snapped angrily.

_**In gym class, Benny was telling Ethan about his mood and magic,**_ Benny shook his head, looking at his hands, "I don't know Ethan, it's like my magic is being uncontrolled lately."

"And your temper too." Ethan added softly.

Benny then looked at Ethan and sighed, "I didn't want to hurt _them_."

_**At the end of gym class, unknown to Ethan, he was about to fall victim in a revenge attempt by the jocks,**_ Robbie Keller and the popular guys came up to Ethan who was grabbing his stuff, "Hey Morgan." Ethan turned around as they then aimed balls at him. "_You _catch!"

Ethan yelled out when he saw what they were about to do!

**Review for chapter 12!**


	12. Dodge, Part 2

**TETHERED**

Chapter 12: _Dodge (Part 2)_

"Are you gonna beat me up?" Rory asked Ethan nervously.

Ethan mocked Rory, "I thought you were a B-A-D boy?"

"Benny shoved me into a locker this morning using magic and yelled at me in front of a crowd of students!" Rory snapped, recalling the event.

Ethan raised an eyebrow his eyebrows in confusion, "Why?"

"It's about you..." Rory trailed, "I might have told Sarah that you were upset over the weekend and she might have told Benny." Rory saw Ethan frown quickly, "Dude please, don't be mad, you know how Sarah is, she'll get the truth one way or the other!"

Ethan took a deep breath to calm himself, "Benny's seemingly adapted a short-fuse lately."

"Short-fuse?!" Rory snatched his book bag off his back and pulled out his hoodie, "Ethan, he burned my slevees... and my arm!" Rory then pulled his shirt sleeves up, Ethan saw already healing red marks on Rory's skin. "Benny's gone mad and now the popular crews want him." Rory saw Ethan was giving him a stern look, "Are you mad at me, E?"

Ethan sighed again looking at Benny's shoulder bag in his hands, "I suppose not, when Sarah wants to know something, she wants to know. In the meantime, I'll talk to Benny, Rory."

Speaking of Sarah, she was talking to another student in the hallway when she saw Erica walking by with a popular crowd, it wasn't really that unusual, it was how she picked her lunch. What _was _unusual about the sight, that _Benny _was walking with them, and _Erica _with her arm around him. "Uh... excuse me." Sarah said to the girl she was talking to and walked over to the group. "Erica... are you going out with Benny or something?"

Erica was about to answer when Robbie did, "She might as well be Sarah, this dude is cool. He beat up his own geek this morning!" He patted Benny's shoulder and the rest of them continued walking, leaving Erica and Benny behind with a fuming Sarah.

Benny chuckled nervously and Erica protectively gripped Benny as they saw Sarah was about to explode. "_You _beat up _Ethan_?! What the _hell _is wrong with you?!" She said, her eyes tinting gold and her fangs showing in the corners of her mouth.

Erica made a shocking move and hissed at Sarah, "Hey, back of him Sarah! He didn't touch a hair on your precious Ethan, Benny got cool off of pushing Rory. And how did you - OW!" Erica then abruptly yell in pain as she felt and then saw Benny's hands start to glow. She was about to snap at him, but she saw a look on his face, one Sarah had just seconds ago.

"How _dare _you think I would so much as hurt Ethan." Benny said lowly and darkly stepping around a shocked Erica and up to a scared Sarah (but she tried not to show it), towering over her just inches away from her face, "He's my best friend, and you accuse me of doing something like that to him."

Sarah sighed to calm herself, "Benny you're right, I'm sorry, I just - EEP!" Sarah saw that Benny was about to take a swing at her, but she ducked, and he missed on purpose to strike a harsh blow at a nearby locker, before walking off to calm himself.

Erica and Sarah looked at the damage he caused to the metal door, a huge hole was burned and melted into it where you could see it's contents inside. Sarah was speechless as Erica commented, "Wow Sarah... maybe in the future you shouldn't go around accusing until you have the whole story. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same if somebody accused me of hurting you."

"I-I need to talk to Ethan." Sarah said nervously as they both watched Benny disappear in a crowd of students.

Erica quipped, "Well, watch your back if Benny's around." Erica then said in a serious tone, "In the meantime I'll keep watch over him and make sure he doesn't kill anybody." Erica then took off to find the spell master, but stopped and whispered to Sarah, "I think I like him better like this though." before continuing on, leaving Sarah confused by the whole scenario.

That afternoon at lunch, Benny wanted to sit with Ethan to see how he was feeling, but Benny got stuck sitting with some of the popular students. Not that Benny minded, it's something he always wanted; but with Ethan and today he just really wanted alone with Ethan, to explain himself.

Ethan, Sarah, and Rory were sitting at a table further away, watching. Rory was the only one eating and watching. "It's not fair." Rory whined with a mouth full. Ethan and Sarah glanced at him, "What?! It's true, he's popular now because of _me_!" Rory defended.

"A lot of things happen because of you Rory." Sarah commented, looking back at Benny, "Ethan, I know he's your friend and all, but you better put a leash on him, next time, I _will_ fight him and then _bite_ him! He'll be the first fledgling spell master in Whitechapel."

Ethan sighed, "Sarah what do you want me to do? I can't control Benny... I'll talk to his grandma and see why he's having these moments where his magic seems to intensify, but other than that, in the meantime, it's not much we can do but hope Benny doesn't hurt anyone, or himself. I'll talk to him in gym class." Ethan passed his untouched tray to Rory.

"And Erica, look at her, I can't believe she's actually still cuddled up with him after he tried to kill me." Sarah said bitterly.

Rory said, eating Ethan's food, "You _did_ accuse him of hurting Ethan... I can't say I wouldn't retaliate either."

"What do _you_ know about it?!" Sarah asked aggravatedly looking harshly at Rory.

Rory answered as if it was obvious, "Duh?! Vampire ninja sees all, hears all, and knows all."

Sarah smacked a hand on the table in frustration, "I'm done. Ethan, just keep Benny away from me for a while, because I'm liable to do something he and I will both regret." Sarah then got up and walked from the table, she wanted to question Ethan further about who _did_ harm him, but she knew with Benny acting weird, Ethan definitely wouldn't be up for talking to her.

Ethan put his hands on the table and his face in them, the day was getting to Ethan and it was only half over. So far, Benny seemed to be losing control on his magic, attempting to hurt their friends, the popular students taking Benny away from him, and now Sarah was mad with Benny. To Ethan's surprise, Rory placed a comforting hand on his back. Rory whispered, "E, everything's going to work out." Ethan looked at Rory, "Yeah, so Benny's apparently a jock now? But he'll come around, he's not like them and he won't be. He just shoved me into a locker because I blabbed to Sarah about you. And Sarah, she should have _never_ assumed Benny hurt you."

"You're right, I guess Rory." Ethan said still looking at Benny, Benny who was regaled by the tales the students were telling managed to catch Ethan staring at him, Ethan looked off when Benny looked, "_Crap, I think Benny saw me!_" Ethan then asked himself, "_And why do I care if he did or not? It's not like I'm spying on him because I have a crush on him._" Ethan mentally groaned, "_Now why do I think I have a crush on him?!_"

Benny caught Ethan staring across from the lunchroom, "_Ethan must hate me now, if I could ever get away from these jerks I'd like to talk to Ethan about what happened. I don't know why I've been loosing my cool today._"

The bell for the next period then rang, "Yo Weir, see you in gym my man." Omar said patting him on the shoulder.

"Oh, okay man." Benny replied, Ethan still on his mind, a few other guys that were sitting around him also patted Benny on the shoulder before walking on to their classes. Benny ran to dump his tray and thought he would have caught up to Ethan, but Benny noticed Ethan had gone on out of the lunchroom with Rory.

* * *

><p>During gym class, Ethan didn't really get to talk to Benny like he wanted to, every time he tried to get around Benny, jocks were around him. Ethan tried to talk to him during exercises, jocks were there. Ethan tried to talk to him when they ran laps around the gym, jocks ran with him. You name the activity and they were there talking to Benny.<p>

Ethan could just shake his head at it, not five hours ago the popular students didn't even bother to acknowledge Benny's existence and now, it's like they've been friends with him their whole lives and for some reason, Ethan couldn't define his reason for jealousy. Ethan was wondering, was he jealous Benny seems to finally be getting respect they deserved from the older students and he wasn't a part of it with him, or was he jealous that they were around Benny and he wasn't.

Now their coach had placed dodgeballs on the floor and had divided them up, Ethan moved close to Benny when coach was picking, but of course, Benny got called to the side with the taller and older jocks and Ethan was stuck on the side with the smaller geeks, but at least Rory was with him, Ethan noticing that Rory was pumped. "_Rory just_ _likes this barbaric sport now because he's 'Vampire Ninja'._" Ethan walked over to Rory, "Hey Rory, hit Benny, get him out, I need to talk to him."

"Way ahead of you dude." Rory replied with a determined look on his face.

Ethan added knowing Rory wanted some payback, "Rory, don't break a bone or anything, just hit him."

Benny knew what Ethan was discussing with Rory, Benny wanted out of the game so he can talk to Ethan. But he knew the jocks would probably catch one and get him back in.

Coach Rollins yelled to them, "No headshots, no crotch shots guys. If you guys could play like Keaner, you'd be in luck. Now I've got a phone call to make about astro turf." Rollins then blew his whistle and walked off, balls flinging all across the gym and students ducking them.

"Remember what I said Rory." Ethan said before he yelled to one of the jocks who was looking for his next victim, "Hey over here you idiot, you've got a clean shot!"

The boy laughed, "You just f'ed up," and then three balls were flung by two others and they hit Ethan in the stomach, back, and leg causing him to stumble back. Benny, who was trying to dodge Rory, saw it how it hit Ethan, remember Ethan had wounds there.

Benny then took a harsh ball to the back, "HEY!" He yelled in objection, he saw Rory grinning and sticking his tounge out.

"Don't worry, we got your back, Weir!" Robbie Keller yelled over to Benny and flung a ball at Rory, which missed. "We're going to get you geek. Everybody hit Keaner!"

Rory's eyes went wide, "Uh-oh." Balls were flung at Rory in all different directions.

Benny sat on the bleachers and watched, laughing. Ethan came and sat next to him, holding his stomach, "You know you've been hard to get to talk to today."

Benny lighted chuckled, "How are you feeling?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Benny." Ethan said with concern in his voice.

Benny shook his head, looking at his hands, "I don't know Ethan, it's like my magic is being uncontrolled lately."

"And your temper too." Ethan added softly.

Benny then looked at Ethan and sighed, "Look, I got mad at Rory because he blabbed to Sarah about you. And I got mad at Sarah for accusing me of hurting you, but I didn't want to hurt _them_ Ethan. They're my friends... you're my friend. You gotta know, I didn't go looking for the jocks attention, it just happened and I-"

Ethan held up a hand and cut him off, "I know Benny, no apologies necessary to me. Just promise me you'll control yourself if you can."

"Will do, E." Benny looked to see their classes process, "Looks like the only person left on your side is Rory." Benny saw Ethan was quiet and a hand was on his stomach, "Did they hurt you E?" Ethan didn't look at Benny, "Dude?"

Ethan then looked when he heard the concern and worry in Benny's voice, "It just stings Benny. It would feel like this if I wasn't... well you know. I hate this game, I suck at it; I can never hit them but they always hit me, although I purposely wanted out so I could talk to you."

"I CAUGHT ONE! HA!" Rory yelled tauntingly at one of the older students, "E, come down here I need help!" Rory said running and dodging.

Ethan's facial expression turned into a worried one, "Rory no, I-"

"Dude just go help him out, you may surprise yourself." Benny said slowly pushing Ethan off the bleacher he was sitting on, which triggered a vision.

_Ethan was confused and then shocked by what he was seeing, he saw the jock population sneaking around the locker room, a dodgeball dribbling, and himself hugged up with Benny in fear._

Ethan jumped out of his vision and groaned walking down to help Rory, "I'm not going to like this." Hinting to both helping Rory, and what he saw in his vision.

Benny saw his shoulder bag on a seat below him and pulled out his spell book, "You just need a little confidence boost E." Benny flipped through his spell book and began uttering Latin, "Okay Ethan, _confidentia robur et agilitas_." Benny aimed his hand at Ethan and watched the spell hit Ethan.

Ethan who was nervous, suddenly felt as if he could turn the gym upside down. Ethan then looked to Rory and snatched a ball from him, "Give me that ball, Rory."

"Uh, okay." Rory said nervously, after Ethan snatched the ball from him.

Ethan then targeted the first person on his radar, Robbie. "Hey, Robbie! _Don't_ catch!"

"What the? OOF!" The boy turned to Ethan to see a ball hit him square in the chest and knock him down with a thud to the floor, the class watching in shock and amazement.

Coach Rollins took his phone from his ear to yell, "Attaboy Morgan, _that's _how you play!" Rollins then went back to his phone call, "What do you mean you can't redo the field because the season's started?!"

Benny looked at Ethan, "Maybe that was a little _too _much confidence."

Robbie yelled out, "Catch a ball and tag me and Weir back in! Morgan's asking for it!"

"Uhm, I'm good Robbie I-", Benny nervously said.

Robbie snapped, "Ben come on man, I know you used to be bros, but what he did crosses a line!"

Ethan started catching balls that were flung at him, tagging back in the people that were on his side, and throwing them and hitting jocks where it hurt most, their pride. "What the hell?!" Robbie yelled from the bleachers as he watched Omar take one to the back. In less than five minutes, Ethan cleared the other side of the floor! The geek side yelling in glee and victory all patting Ethan on the back and giving him thanks.

Outwardly, Benny's expression was a blank one, but behind it, he was proud of his best friend and glad the spell worked, Benny was contemplating keeping it on Ethan, but he knew Ethan would figure out something was wrong with him, but Benny had to admit, for the first time in a few days, he saw his friend truly with a happy smile on his face.

"Okay fellas you can dress back in, the bells about to ring!" Rollins said still dealing with his phone call about the football field, "What do you mean I have to pay it all up front?!"

Ethan and Benny exchanged a look with each other, Benny winked at Ethan, while the jocks were walking with him to the locker room. Benny didn't stick around like the jocks, because he had to hurry up and dress and reverse the spell he put on Ethan before Ethan went to a class and back-talked a teacher or something, Ethan wouldn't normally, but under the spell Benny felt that Ethan probably felt invincible. Little did Benny know, his new posse was considering retaliation.

Benny saw Ethan was coming out to grab his stuff, Benny was standing beside the bleachers to stay out of Ethan's sight long enough to get the spell off of him.

In the locker room, Robbie Keller was formulating a revenge plan, Rory and a few other geeks were still in there, nervous to say anything "Morgan's going to get it for that bitch stunt he pulled today, we need to put him back in his place or _all _these geeks in this class will think they can pelt us with balls." The room had general sounds of agreement. Rory knew Robbie wanted the few geeks that were in there to hear that, Rory then knew he had to find Ethan and Benny. Rory was still kind of mad at Benny, but he knew Benny should know what his new 'friends' were planning.

Rory ran out to find Benny putting his spell book back into his shoulder bag as Rory walked up to him. "Benny!" Rory then ran up to him, talking fast "Benny, I'm _sorry_ okay. Maybe I deserved it! I talk too much, I'll start shutting up now, but I need to tell you something."

"No it's my fault Rory I-" Benny started to apologize.

Rory cut him off, "No Benny listen! Your new _friends _said they're going to hurt Ethan!"

"Why?" Benny asked him confused, before realizing, "Because of the dodgeball game?!" Rory shook his head violently. "Oh no." Benny then asked Rory, "Did they say what they were going to do?"

Rory looked at Ethan, "They just said he was going to be an example to the geeks if they stepped out of line." Rory and Benny then watched the guys come out of the locker room, into the ball room, and back out with their hands behind their backs. "Dude no... they're gonna pummel him!" Rory's fangs then showing.

"Rory grab my hand." Benny commanded extending his hand to Rory.

Rory looked back at him confused, "Dude, not the time for a moment!" Benny's other hand then became a glowing fist in Rory's face, Benny with a determined expression on his face, Rory nervously took Benny's other hand, "Perfect timing for a moment!"

"Rory just shut up and watch." Benny then extended his glowing hand and began uttering a spell.

Keller and the popular guys came up to Ethan who was grabbing his stuff, "Hey Morgan." Ethan turned around as they then aimed balls at him. "_You _catch!"

Ethan yelled out when he saw what they were about to do, "Please don't!"

**The end of chapter 12, and it's a cliffy, but in this story, which ones aren't really? Review to see what's going to happen to poor Ethan now, but it's not what you think! Sorry, but no previews for this one! I'm such a tease! **


	13. Artifice

**TETHERED**

**I've been meaning to get back to this story and update it for my readers/followers, but I've just been so busy with everything. Plus the fandom has kind of died out some since the news about the show (I think Fresh TV is still pursuing for another movie though, I hope the plans go forward). But I will TRY to update this story more regularly (and finish Clueless) as much as I can.**

**But on with the story, this chapter is more comical than the previous heavily drama-filled ones (which will be coming back) please enjoy and as always thank you all who read, review, follow and favorite!**

**P.S. either this chapter or the next, I will be derailing in this story; I have like 20 different directions I want to take it and not sure how to go about posting it, but hang on if the story gets a little 'out of control'; either way regardless, I think you'll all enjoy it.**

Chapter 13:_ Artifice_

Ethan was yelling out in fear as Benny was reciting words to a spell in his direction, just as Benny started, the students began to fling the basketballs that were hidden in their hands towards Ethan but they all immediately froze; them, the room, the school, everything. Rory looked to see Benny breathing deeply from loss of energy, but that was it. He and Benny were the only things mobile. "So... freakin'... cool!" Rory yelled letting go of Benny's hand. They both ran over to the jocks, or jerks in this case, and over to Ethan who had a petrified look on his face.

Benny hated seeing Ethan like that, it just seemed the past week; Ethan couldn't catch a break anywhere. Benny grabbed Ethan's hand, calling him, "Ethan." Once they touched Ethan became unfrozen and was yelling when he saw what was in front of him but he stopped when he saw that extreme pain and darkness never came. He looked over to see Benny staring at him and Rory, who was waving his hand in front of one of the jocks' frozen faces.

"Benny?" Ethan questioned confused, wiping a tear that was threatening to fall from his eye, "Did you do this?"

Benny nodded, with a satisfied smile on his face, "Yep. Pretty cool right?"

"Very cool," Ethan said, instantly hugging Benny right then and there. Benny at first shocked at Ethan's action, then just returned the hug. Ethan, still hugging Benny thought, "_I'm guessing this was my vision earlier... oh God, I'm hugging Benny, and what's worse, I'm liking it!_" Ethan then pulled away from him and chuckled nervously, looking at the ground, "Sorry, Benny." Ethan muttered, figuring by now he had to be red at a beet from blushing.

Benny shook his head, "Don't worry about it E, after what almost happened here, I can't say I wouldn't have the same reaction." He and Ethan then watched Rory dragging Coach Rollins to where Ethan was sitting, "Rory, what are you doing?"

"Dude, don't stop me. They were about to hurt Ethan, they need to pay! It's either this, or I'll start siphoning from them, one my one." Rory answered, his fangs showing.

Benny agreed, "As much as it pains me to say this, he has a point, E. They would have really hurt you, a few more seconds and you could have been hospital bound after that."

"So does Coach Rollins deserve this?" Ethan asked them.

Benny nodded, "Partially, it _was his _idea for making us play this barbaric sport today. Besides, he's on the phone, it's not like he's looking directly at them like you were."

"I don't like this you guys, Rollins is innocent... but they need to pay." Ethan said to them, he was tired of the jerky jocks in the school getting away with harmful bullying, plus they stole Benny from him. Ethan then realized what his mind had just processed, they stole Benny from him. He thought for a moment Benny was his, Ethan just mentally shook that off.

Benny looked at his watch, "Time to go guys, I might have froze time except for us, and as much fun stuff that I think we could do right now, I think we should go to class." They all went to the gym doors and Benny then released the spell and let everything resume.

"The school can't pay for- Ah!" Coach Rollins was in the middle of his phone call when he was pelted with dodge balls.

Robbie Keller started to gloat, "Ha, we got you Mor... gan?" When he then saw who they all actually pelted, "You're not Morgan."

"Nope." Coach Rollins said angrily, sitting up on the bleachers, "You _all _are in so much trouble!"

One of the students said softly, "Sorry Coach."

"Or you're gonna be sorry." Rollins said to them.

Robbie Keller saw the gym door closing, "I don't know what you did Morgan. But you won't get away!" He whispered.

"He's not the only one, Keller!" Rollins yelled, "ALL of you stay here," he then started limping out of the gym.

In the hallways walking to their next class, the boys were laughing. Rory commenting, trying to calm himself, "Man, I can't believe we did that!"

"I can't believe I _let _you do that!" Ethan added, "It seriously looks like they might have hurt Coach Rollins."

Benny then asked Ethan, in a serious tone, "Rather Coach Rollins or you?" Ethan fell quiet, unsure of how to answer. On one hand, Ethan's fine because it'd just be added injuries on top of previous injuries by Jesse, which were still healing, and the jerks were after him, not Rollins, the coach was innocent, even if it was in his lesson plans to play dodge ball. "But it's my fault." Ethan said softly looking at the ground.

"What, how?!" Rory asked confused.

Ethan sighed, "I challenged those jerks and beat them at their own game... and they got pissed, can you blame them?"

"Rollins isn't a good coach, if he was, they'd know it's just a game... and a stupid one at that." Benny commented.

Ethan continued to blame himself, which was laying guilt on Benny's conscience since he put a spell on the young seer to begin with, "I don't know what got into me, I should have known they'd want to retaliate."

"Uh...," Benny trailed, deciding it'd be best to speak up now, rather than for Ethan to figure it out later, "I might have something to do with that, E."

Ethan titled his head a little at Benny, first confused before realizing, "Benny, tell me you didn't?"

"I would E, but it'd be a lie, I did." Benny confessed, knowing Ethan was about to blow. Benny quickly offered his explanation, "I'm sorry E, I had to, but I did it for you, these past few days you've been so down, so I wanted to do something to cheer you up, I didn't know it'd backfire like this! I just wanted you to have some fun, please don't hurt me!" Benny said in a mouthful, but what came out of Ethan's mouth shocked him next.

Ethan's expression quickly changed from one of upset to one of content, "It's fine Benny... I _did _have fun getting back at those losers, and since there was no harm done to me at least, all is well."

"Really?!" Both Benny and Rory asked him, surprised at how laid back Ethan was about the spell Benny put over him. Benny asked him, confused, "You're _cool_ with this?"

Ethan nodded, "Sure, but _next time_, you should probably _ask me before _you decide to cast some kind of spell on me."

"So..." Benny trailed, "You're not gonna tell grandma when she gets back?"

Ethan thought about it for a second before responding, "Since nothing seriously wrong has happened to me or anyone else, except for Coach Rollins maybe, nope. If grandma _does_ hear about it, it won't be from me."

They both looked at Rory, "What'd I do?!" He asked them.

"_You did_ tell grandma about the time Benny used a potion to make the girls around here like us." Ethan recalled.

Benny added, "And the time I used magic to get out of doing yard work! Also the time-"

Rory cut him off, "Okay, jeez! I swear I won't tell her!"

Benny jokingly suggested, "Maybe I should put a forgetful spell on Rory."

"Uh," Rory looked at both Ethan, who was seriously considering it, and Benny who had a grin growing on his face. "See ya!" Rory said, disappearing in a flash.

Benny shook his head, "Sometimes I do wonder why we let him hang around with us."

"He makes the days go by faster. Although about half the time he's gone and caused some kind of trouble we have to clean up. We have enough going on with supernatural creatures and your clumsiness with magic." Ethan answered, throwing in a partial joke about Benny's magic.

Benny nodded in agreement, "You're right he- HEY!"

Meanwhile, down the corridor adjacent, Erica and Sarah were talking about Benny and Ethan. "You thought Nerd #2 would be okay with you accusing him of hurting Nerd #1?" Erica asked Sarah, shutting her locker.

"Well, I was expecting an answer, not to almost lose my head! Even Ethan says Benny's magic has been flaring." Sarah replied, "It was spur of the moment, the question blurted out before my brain had time to process it. When I heard them say he beat up a geek, I had to assume it was Ethan! I mean wouldn't you have?"

Erica shook her head, "Nope, because I wouldn't have cared." Erica continued, "As much as you don't want to hear me say this, you kinda owe the magic geek an apology."

"I owe _him _an apology... he tried to behead me, Erica!" Sarah snapped at her friend, who seemed to not care about anything that had occurred hours prior. "You'd be saying he'd be owing _you _an apology if our roles were reversed."

Erica thought about it, "Hmm, I doubt it. I'd just suck him dry then and there."

"Erica is that your solution to _every_ problem?" Sarah asked, semi-annoyed.

Erica shrugged, "Hey, a vampire girl's gotta eat. Besides, as I recall, Benny did taste... _delicious_." She said whispering.

Sarah groaned at that and they turned the corner, almost running into Ethan and Benny. Benny and Sarah were just staring at each other with blank expression, Ethan chuckled nervously, "We almost collided."

"Yeah... this is awkward." Erica said looking from Benny to Sarah.

I was a full minute of staring before both Benny and Sarah started their apologies, "I'm sorry... no wait you go... sorry." They both then stopped.

Erica groaned, "Jeez, okay, you're you both sorry for what you both said and did to each other, now can we move on?!"

"Yeah, what she said." Ethan said folding his arms, looking at his two friends.

Both Sarah and Benny slowly nodded at each other in agreement.

Just then Principal Hicks and the school nurse were rushing through the hallways, "He called the office panicked, saying half his class pelted him with dodge balls for no reason." Hicks was explaining to the nurse who had a shocked expression but was listening attentively.

The four watched them go towards the gym, Sarah asked, "What is that all about?"

"Uh, long story." Ethan said to her looking at Benny in the corner of his eye, noticing the smile growing on his face.

Sarah caught Ethan's eyes shifting in Benny's direction, Benny with a nervous smile on his face, but the smile looked also like it was a joyful one as well. Sarah scoffed, "You know what, don't want to know."

Meanwhile in the gym, Principal Hicks was getting onto the boys in the class who pelted Rollins, although they meant to pelt Ethan Morgan who mysteriously disappeared and Robbie and Omar knew it, they knew their target was Morgan and he was sitting on that particular bleacher where Coach Rollins all of a sudden appeared in his spot. Robbie intended to get Morgan one way or another for both the game and his disappearing act which now has landed him in trouble.

Coach Rollins was on the other side of the gym, the nurse checking his visible injuries. He was starting to swell up and bruises were starting to show.

Hicks was saying to them, "This is very serious boys, pelting your physical education teacher with dodge balls, that constitutes as an serious assault charge boys; since you're all 18 or close to it, you'd be spending graduation behind bars. But I think in-school suspension with no extracurricular activities is a fair punishment for this; no regular classes, no ball games, no school functions off or on campus, just you all in my office with only your school work. And all of your parents will hear about this as well." All of the students were gloom, shaking their heads or were in shock at what Hicks chose to do to them, take away everything they liked from school, expect the work that is.

"I think an apology is in order here boys." Hick said to them, putting his hands behind his back.

They all in unison said, "Sorry, Principal Hicks."

"Not to _me_, to your coach!" Hicks snapped.

They all looked to Coach Rollins on the other side of the gym, "Sorry, Coach" They said again together to him. Rollins only grunted, because it hurt him to talk.

"Okay boys, you're dismissed to your next classes." Hicks said to them, walking off, knowing he had a lot of phone calls ahead of him.

Robbie shook his head, "You know what, I don't care what happens now, I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting Morgan for this!"

"I don't know Robbie, you sure this is a good idea, we're already in hot water here?" One of them asked.

Robbie shook his head, "Not to do something enough to get us expelled, but something that will make Morgan take his _own _punishment."

"I still don't like this Robbie." Omar said to him, shaking his head unsurely.

"Look, it's Morgan's fault in all of this! If he had stayed on the bleachers, and not summoned Rollins _however _he did it, we wouldn't be in this mess. He'd just be another nerd who got hurt playing sports right?!"

A few of them, still uneasy nodded their heads in agreement. Then Omar asked looking around, "Where's Weir, I'm shocked he didn't get caught up in this."

"I saw him dip out early." One of the other guys answered.

Robbie shook his head, "At least _somebody _managed to walk away from this. If I run into him later, I'll ask him if he wants to help take Morgan down."

"Ha, maybe he'll get Morgan to beg on his hands and knees too!" Omar joked, the bunch of guys laughing. You would think they wouldn't be laughing after the punishment they had received.

For Ethan's next classes, he caught looks, stares, and snares from various other jocks who were involving in pelting him, or Coach Rollins rather, in gym class. He didn't have to have a vision to know they were plotting something else to do to him. Ethan thought, "_They must have nothing better to do than to torment me today! To think, all it took to stir them up was a geek like me winning a freakin' dodge ball game. Not that I'm not glad I won, or Benny placing the spell on me, but couldn't he have done it in another class?! Like Math class, they SUCK at that._" Ethan looked at Benny, who was sitting next to him, Benny could tell Ethan was deep in thought about something, "_Curse you Benny, I know you were just trying to help but magic _always _seems to get us, and today _me_, in some kind of trouble!_"

Later, once the dismissal bell rang, Ethan decided he should tell Benny. "Benny, have you noticed the jocks from gym looking at you, hatefully?"

"They have?!" Benny asked shocked, "I didn't notice! Guess they don't want me to hang with them anymore." Benny said lowly.

Ethan scoffed, "Not at you, _me_!"

"Oh... no, I didn't notice then." Benny said, too cheerfully for Ethan, who folded his arms and stared harshly at Benny. "Okay, okay." Benny said annoyed and held up his hands in defeat, "We or rather _you_, should keep an eye out for signs of retaliation." Benny then looked at the bathroom in the hallway, "_After _I take a leak."

Ethan groaned as Benny hurried into the bathroom. Ethan then continued on outside behind the school to wait for Benny, but that might have been his worst mistake today, once he got outside in the parking lot he was covered with a bag and shoved onto the floor of a car. A young voice said anxiously, "Quick, drive to the field, there's nobody there!"

Ethan yelled through the black bag over his head, "Let me go, let me-!" Ethan then received a harsh kick to the gut.

The car full of boys was laughing, "Morgan's gonna get it now!" One familiar voice yelled gleefully.

Ethan tried to see if he could recognize who that voice belonged to, he could tell at least five people were in the car that was clearly speeding on a bumpy and unpaved road, gravel and rocks making loud popping sounds against the car. Ethan knew the only thing around the school the shortest distance the car traveled with a road like that was the one down to the football field. The car was then brought to an abrupt stop and Ethan was thrown out of the car onto the ground, the doors of the car opening and everyone jumping out was either punching, kicking, or even walking on Ethan.

Ethan, while in now excruciating pain from head-to-toe, heard five different but recognizable voices to him said, "Hey, hit him too man.", "Kick harder, _harder!_", one voice even mocked, "Morgan's got no tricks _now_!"

Although Ethan couldn't talk, in his mind he was begging for the pain to stop, begging for them to go away, begging to be saved by someone, to be saved by Benny. Benny, it just always seemed convenient that Benny managed to make a disappearance every time he landed into trouble. Ethan found it hard to be mad at his best friend for him being a coward, but coward or not, even the strongest person might not be able to stop something like this from happening, unless you're Walker, Texas Ranger; which Ethan is not.

But then Ethan heard a loud yell and then a thud as one of them stopped kicking him, the remaining four looked at where their buddy landed and then to what caused it. The familiar voice Ethan recognized asked harshly, "Hey man, what the hell do you think you're do- ING!" The voice peaked then as he heard that person fall to the ground with a thud as well.

Ethan then heard the other three running off, but they were then yelling and were flung as well. Ethan tried to get up off the ground, coughing, he managed to get on all fours and almost fell to the ground, when he felt a pair of hands wrap around him and help him to his feet.

Ethan reached to pull the bag out from over his head and thank his rescuer, soon as he took the bag off, and his eyes focused, he could not believe who was standing there in front of him with a grin on thier face. "Thank," he started but then Ethan stopped.

Ethan's vision then went blurry again and he then collapsed on the ground. From exhaustion and blood loss mostly, but might as well add shock to the list as well.

The person then carried Ethan bridal style away from the school grounds.

**End of chapter 13 there folks.**

**I needed Benny and Sarah to try to get back on good terms if possible, but it might not be in the next chapter because Benny's kind of on a downward spiral more so than Ethan (who can't seem to catch a break in this story, but he will soon folks, just hang on). I seem to have turned typical school bullying (three words that should NEVER be in the same sentence by the way), into a mob or gang hit type thing with the burlap bag over head and Ethan taking a cruel beating, at least he was saved, but the question is by who. You've got a WHOLE LIST of people really who could have but I'm spoiling NOTHING, you have to read chapter fourteen to see who saved him this time. **

**I need BIG reviews for the next installment of "Tethered," thank you all who returned to read this story, as I said above, the light has dimmed in the MBAV fandom. We need #sixseasonsandamovie for MBAV, instead of Community. But oh well, for now, I'm sticking around to write more, if I can.**

**Want to finish off "Clueless" SOMETIME this year so I can write my next fic, "Reprise" (check out the summary on my profile).**

**P.S., an alternate title for this chapter would be "Revenge's Profit," don't ask me why, but that's what I wanted to name this chapter.**


	14. Troubled

**TETHERED**

**The readers and reviewers of this story probably think I'm the evil one because A.) I've continually tortured Ethan in this story, B.) I've turned both Benny and Jesse into lunatics, C.) Promised to update as soon as possible and wound up putting it off for weeks/months (apologies all around on that).**

Quick replies to reviewers:

**AsianIdiot16:** I know, I told you guys this story would probably derail. My goal with chapters 11-13 were to inject some kind of humor in this if possible, I'd hate for every single chapter to have something to do with Jesse and [torturing and tormenting] Ethan, or Ethan's pain and hurt; which may either be just beginning or soon ending. Plus I know this story is primarily Bethan (Benny/Ethan), but I wanted to keep Rory, Sarah, and Erica; a lot of stories on here kind of focus on the pairing/relationship (whether it involves lemons or not) more so than a story or main plotline itself (but some users here manage to do both, for example: ArthM's "Whitechapel" trilogy (please read) or JustMe333's stories and others as well). As for Ethan, he's going to soon realize Benny's promises mean nothing, or at least that how it will seem to Ethan. Chapters 15/16, will likely be the back-tracking chapters that push the story forward, so I can get the story back to what it was about in the first place. It kind of 'rectifies' (if you will) what occurred in the first three chapters.

**MBAV fan: **Actually Fresh's/All MBAV's/YTV twitter pages have been suggesting that the Canadian network, YTV, could bring the show back/do a 2nd movie. Let's cross our fingers, toes and internal organs (well maybe not them)! I hope your suspicions on who saved Ethan were right; in the end, it's really a question of "Who _really_ saved Ethan?"

**Dominus Trinus 13 & TeamEthanMorgan: **Hmm, I was originally going to make it Benny and have him go after the jocks who befriended him just to eventually hurt Ethan (? Possible motive), more so than he already is. Everyone seems to want to favor Jesse as Ethan's "rescuer", so why not... I need to bring him back into this story anyway. Except for some flashbacks or dreams, maybe it'll be for the last time in the entire story... maybe. Jesse's getting one last dance with Ethan (the next chapter, chapter 15, tentatively titled;"_Tainted_"), and I'm probably going to have to up the rating on the story just to post it.

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><p>Chapter 14:<em> Troubled<em>

**Thirty minutes later**.

Ethan was lying on a bed, unconscious, bloody, bruised, and clothing dirty and tattered. Ethan seemed to be that way a lot the past few days. A hand stroked loose hairs out of his face and then went down to stroke his cheek.

**Thirty minutes earlier.**

But back at school in the bathroom, Benny had just finished and was about to leave when Omar came out of a stall, "Hey Weir, a few of us are going to teach Morgan a lesson about tricks at the football field today, you wanna join?"

"You're gonna _WHAT?!_" Benny exclaimed, ready to blow up at what Omar just asked him to participate in.

Omar smiled, "Yeah man, I got a video from Rob before I came in here, they're already down there now!" Omar showed Benny his phone. Benny snatched the phone out of his hand and watched a five second clip of Robbie and some other jocks beating up Ethan on the ground, Ethan's head covered with some kind of bag. Benny could tell it was truly Ethan, the person had the same body shape and they were wearing the same clothes. Benny shocked and angry threw the phone back at Omar, "Damn Weir, you're gonna get your shot, slow down!"

Benny then ran out the bathrooms, through the almost empty halls and out of the school, the remaining students watching, Benny saw Rory standing, waiting for him and Ethan. Rory then got a smile on his face, "Dude where have you been?!"

"No time." Benny said out of breath, "We need to go to the football fields, _NOW_!" Benny said taking off running at full speed, Rory behind him. "The jerks, they took Ethan down there to beat him up!"

Rory then asked Benny, "What are we waiting for?!" Rory grabbed Benny's hand and took off at vampire speed. They arrived to the field in seconds, and they saw four people on the ground, with cuts and abrasions and they were groaning.

Benny looked around and saw the bag he saw in the video that was on Ethan's head, but he didn't see Ethan, but he did see drops of blood on the ground and it showed signs of a scuffle. Rory looked at them too, put a finger on them and sniffed the blood and dirt that was on his finger, a worried look appearing on his face, "Benny, it's Ethan's." Rory said softly, rubbing the blood between his fingers, contemplating licking them.

"These idiots are here, but where is Ethan?" Benny asked.

Rory stopped what he was considering doing when he heard Benny, and shook his head unsure, he sniffed the air, "Ethan's scent is here, but it's like he disappeared. Something else smells too, it smells familiar." Rory whispered to Benny.

Benny looked around angrily and saw Robbie Keller trying to get up off the ground, Benny decided to help him up, now since they were apparently 'friends' and all. Benny jerked Robbie up off the ground by his jacket, using strength he didn't know he had. "Where's Ethan?" Benny asked him, Robbie tried to mumble something but it wasn't enough for Benny. "WHERE THE HELL IS ETHAN, ROBBIE?!" Benny yelled.

Robbie looked around dazed, he wryly chuckled, "Morgan got away, again."

Benny's eye twitched angrily before harshly shoving Robbie into a school bus parked on the edge of the field, shattering the glass door. Rory's eyes bulged at what he was witnessing, he wanted to stop Benny, but he found it to be wise not to. Benny got in his face, "Listen you arrogant bastard, Omar showed me your Vine post on what you goons did to Ethan! You're lucky I'm not doing the same to you, so I'm going to ask you again, where... is... Ethan?" Benny asked him coldly.

"L-look Weir," Robbie gulped loudly, "All we did was beat him up. All I know is some muscular guy dressed in black came and roughed us up; I guess maybe Morgan went with him."

Benny growled, "You _guess_?!"

"I-I don't know, I passed out I guess!" Robbie answered, "Morgan's dragging you down around this school anyway man, I don't understand why you care about that weak geek anyway!" Robbie tried to rationalize their actions, but it might have been his worst mistake ever.

Benny's hand formed a fist which started glowing; Rory saw this and yelled, "Benny wait!" But it was too late; Benny punched Robbie square in the face with the glowing fist and let him fall to the ground, Robbie clutching his aching face.

Rory saw that Benny was breathing heavily and was furious, but his hand had stopped glowing, "You okay, Benny?" Rory asked meekly.

"No." Benny said coldly walking away, "We need to find Ethan!" Benny snapped.

Rory followed Benny quickly, looking at the guys who were all sprawled on the ground, he whispered to one of them, "You guys _really _shouldn't have done this."

"Let's go Rory!" Benny yelled still walking back to the school in a fast pace.

Rory hurried to catch up to him, "Coming Benny!"

Erica and Sarah were standing in front of the school waiting on the boys, seeing they were coming back their direction. Sarah quipped when the two boys got in hearing distance, "You know usually when three o'clock rolls around you're supposed to _leave _the school, not come back to it."

"Ethan's missing." Benny said lowly, walking past her.

Sarah and Erica exchanged a look, wondering if they heard him correctly. They followed him to his locker where he got his bag. Sarah asked him for clarification, "What do you mean _Ethan's missing_?"

"Just that, he's missing, those jerks beat him up at the football field and now he's disappeared!" Benny snapped.

Erica asked the boys, "Any chance the ner-, Ethan, went home?"

"I doubt it. There was no sign he left on his own, I couldn't smell any direction he went and when me and Benny got to the football field we saw all the bullies thrown about on the ground like someone straight kicked their butts!" Rory explained happily.

Erica asked, "Maybe Ethan did it?" Sarah, Rory, and Benny all looked at her at the same time with a blank expression, Erica shrugged, "It could happen!"

"Yeah, if Ethan all of a sudden could bench press 300 pounds and knew how to fight, especially more than one person at once." Sarah corrected, but also cynically joked.

Rory suggested, "We need a plan!"

"Oh no," Erica groaned, "I was hoping that we would go hunt lunch Sarah! I mean-" Erica had just stopped talking.

Benny shut his locker and walked off from the three, "You want blood, find Robbie, I belted him in the nose, I'm sure it's bleeding."

"He's blaming himself for this." Rory said quietly to the girls. "Benny put a spell on Ethan to make him better at dodge ball; the jock population took it personal that Ethan all of a sudden got better than them... so they've been wanting some payback. The first time they were going to pelt him with dodge balls, so I told Benny, who used magic to stop them. But I guess they weren't stumped, guess they decided to take a direct approach." Rory explained to them.

"Did he _really _clock Robbie in the nose?" Erica asked curiously.

Rory nodded, almost happily. Sarah said deeply concerned, "He's getting out of control." Sarah continued, "What is _up _with these two?! I mean Ethan seems so despondent lately and now Benny seems to be flying off the handle at everything."

"It's got something to do with Ethan." Rory answered, "I don't know what exactly, but I just know it does."

Sarah recalled, "Ethan said he was going to talk to Benny's grandma today, but if Ethan's gone missing, somehow I don't think that's going to happen today."

"Common sense should have told dorkwad not to walk away without formulating some kind of plan to find him." Erica said to them harshly.

Sarah shook her head, "No, he needs to cool off. We'll leave Benny alone for now and try to come up with some kind of plan to find Ethan. Rory, I think you should keep an eye on Benny."

"Wait, I thought you said he should be left alone?!" Rory said, remembering all of what Benny had done today.

Erica corrected for Sarah, "I think she meant to watch him from a distance... for a nerd, you sure are dumb at times Rory."

"Thanks!" Rory said smiling goofily.

Sarah said to him, "I _don't_ think that was a compliment, Rory."

"It's wasn't." Erica added.

Benny walked home, deep in his thoughts, thinking about all the empty promises he seemed to keep making to Ethan about protecting him and being there for him; another thing that was on his mind was himself and how it seemed he was losing control of himself and his powers. "_I hope Ethan is okay wherever he is, but I have this strange feeling that he's not. Ethan's going to _hate _me for this, I keep promising him that I'll be near him if he gets into any danger, and yet Jesse abducts and rapes him, jerks at school beat him up, and I'm betting Ethan's thinking I'm shunning him so this can happen to him on purpose. If Ethan doesn't hate me, he should, and I wouldn't blame him. And my powers, my _stupid _powers, I can shove people around and almost lop one of my friends' head off, but I can't protect my best friend. Some spell master I am._"

Benny continued to walk home in his thoughts, not aware Rory was flying in the air great distance above him. Rory saw Benny's facial expressions changing; fear, anger, sadness/worry and back. "I can tell he's beating himself up about Ethan. It's not his fault. Poor Benny, and Ethan too."

Minutes later, Benny was at home, he walked in and closed the door, he could tell his grandma was back home, the blinds were open, the living room was cleaner than he recalled leaving it, and the TV was on, "Gram, I'm home!" He yelled, flopping in a chair and holding his head in his hands.

"Did you have a good day at school today Ben-, Benny, are you okay?" His grandma said coming down the stairs, she then saw him sitting in the chair holding his head; she went to his side moved one of his hands and felt his head.

Benny nodded his head, "I'm fine, I'm not sick, grandma! Not that way anyway."

"What do you mean dear?" She asked him confused at what he'd just said.

Benny continued, "I mean my magic gram, these past few days it's been, weird. I've been hurting people, my friends with it."

"Tell me dear." She said, sitting down on the couch.

Benny wryly scoffed, "Where should I start grandma? Where I beat up Rory? Almost took Sarah's head off, or where I shoved Robbie Keller into a bus and might have broken his nose?"

"Start from the beginning if you can." She told him, shocked at what he'd told her he'd done today.

Benny sighed and began, "I noticed it started today, Ethan noticed it this morning when we were having breakfast. He told me he's seen my magic flaring the past few days, he asked me was I okay, I told him I was. But deep down grandma, I wasn't sure. So we went to school, and I was approached by Sarah about Rory telling her about Ethan. Ethan doesn't want anyone to know what happened to him grandma, but especially not Sarah. So I found Rory and after I learned he told Sarah about how Ethan's been acting, I used my magic and shoved him into his locker, burning him in the process. I think he's scared of me now too."

"Dear me." His grandma said looking at her grandson in worry, "Continue please, Benny." She needed to know what all he's done.

Benny nodded and continued the story about his day, which would be interesting to some if it were fictional, but it's not. Benny told his grandma about all that occurred that day, from the premature accusation from Sarah to him almost loping her head off, to Benny punching Robbie after school. Ms. Weir stared at her grandson in shock, but she also had an inkling of why he seemed to be getting out of control.

She then asked him, "Is this about you Benny, or your inability to protect Ethan the way you want to?"

"What are you saying grandma?! I can protect Ethan!" Benny protested of her question.

She folded her arms, "Well then where is he, Benny?"

Benny was about to say something, but stopped and paused for a minute deep in thought before sitting back in the chair with a dazed expression on his face, he softly answered, "I don't know."

"You're letting your emotions take control of your magic, Benny. At this rate if you continue, you will not only bring harm to yourself, but to others." She told him cautiously.

Benny sighed and looked at her, "Well, how do I regain control?"

"Only _you _know how to do that for yourself, Benny." She told him, and then noticing a look of loss and hopelessness befall on his face. "Benny, all it is, your powers still developing. You weren't exactly the earliest of bloomers you know. You only learned that you possessed magic powers two and a half years ago."

Benny shook his head at this, "It doesn't matter gram, I still didn't and can't protect Ethan. It's like I can't take my eyes off him or something will happen to him." Benny then scolded himself, "I _knew _I shouldn't have taken that bathroom break after he told me he felt he was being watched by the jocks."

"And you continue to blame yourself; if you want to blame anyone, blame the ones that are bringing actual harm to Ethan. Your classmates, and Jesse; who I'm willing to bet probably has Ethan." Grandma told him.

She watched Benny as he was piecing things together in his mind. Benny then recalled what Ethan had told him occurred the times he was with Jesse the past few days, Benny knowing Jesse had intentions to harm Ethan again. A determined look came across Benny's face, "He _does_ have Ethan, grandma." He said to her coldly.

It almost sent a shiver up her spine when she heard Benny say it that way, she answered him with, "You know what needs to be done, Benny." She saw his spell book sitting by his shoulder bag on the coffee table; she grabbed up the book and immediately flipped to a page, marking it in his book. She sat the open book down in front of him on the table and told him strongly, "Get Ethan back, Benny." She then got up from her chair and proceeded to walk upstairs but she stopped, turned around and looked at Benny who stared at her, "I know you'll save him."

She then continued upstairs, leaving Benny to look at the open page in his spell book. He picked it up and read the page, "This is a confinement spell for vampires and werewolves." Benny muttered reading it. Benny then questioned it after he read it, "Confine him, into what?"

"This." Evelyn said coming down the stairs holding a wooden object and placing it on the table.

Benny eyed it, knowing it looked familiar, he then gasped when he realized what it was, "The _cubile animus_, where'd you get _that_?! I thought Ethan had it?!"

"You boys should be careful where you leave things you dig up from the backyard." Evelyn said suspiciously eying her grandson. "I found it the following morning Ethan was bit at your dance in tenth grade by Jesse."

Benny was shocked at how much time had lapsed since then, "That was almost a year ago!"

"Mm-hmm," she agreed, nodding her head, she continued, "Use the spell to banish him into this."

Benny said lowly and worriedly, "It's that simple huh?"

"I have the utmost confidence in you Benny." She said, "However, I think you should tell Sarah your plans... as much as Ethan probably doesn't want anyone to know what has occurred, it's for the best for him, to save him."

Benny sighed, "You're right, I guess I can tell her and skip the gory details Ethan told me." Ms. Weir nodded. "Thanks, gram..." Benny said, still feeling unsure and uncertain on what he had to do.

"Anytime dear, now, get your friends and go save Ethan before more harm befalls him, if it hasn't already." She said to him in an urgent tone.

Benny got up off the couch, grabbed his bag, placing the _cublie animus _in it along with his spell book, he looked in his book and saw another spell on the page, which was worse than the confinement spell. He bookmarked to the page he needed to recite the second spell from and he left.

His grandma stared as he left; her thoughts were on both him and Ethan. "Whatever you just read on that page Benny, you better make sure you do it right, or all of you are as good as dead." She whispered, hoping Benny would do the spell she showed him, but she doubted he would, she saw the look in his eyes when he read it, it was a look of vengeance. And despite how cut and dry her plan was for him to do, she just had a bad feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong.

Benny walked outside and as he did a tree branch fell in front of him, "What the," then he heard a loud snap followed by some familiar yelling and a loud thud to the ground. He then saw Rory fall right in front of him.

"H-h-hey Benny, how are you doing, buddy?!" Rory stammered getting up off of the ground.

Benny had an un-amused look on his face, "Rory, what are you doing?"

"N-nothing, not stalking you or anything." Rory said nervously.

Benny scoffed angrily, "Whatever, let's go Rory." Benny said walking away from the vampire.

"Where?" Rory asked confused.

Benny, still walking, simply answered, "To get Sarah... to save Ethan from Jesse."

"JESSE?!" Rory asked shocked.

**End of the troubling chapter 14. It's rescuing time, for real this time. Let's see how Benny can tell the rest of the gang where Ethan is and why without revealing how it all started in the first place. Benny's breaking promises to Ethan, he might as well betray his confidence too. Leave it to Grandma to get Benny on the right track, or try to anyway, not sure how long he will be. I wanted this chapter to focus on Benny and his rising guilt (and powers as well). I managed to mention events from the movie/episodes "Three Geeks and a Demon" / "Re-Vamped" as well. **

**Will Ethan be saved before something terrible happens? Please review to find out where chapter 15 leads! I thank everyone who's hung on and read/reviewed/favorite/followed this story so far, don't let go just yet, because it's about to get bumpy.**

**Alternate titles for this chapter would have been, "Empty Promises" or "Guilty Thoughts"**

**Here's a preview for CH15 (because I have it ready to be posted), and I don't think anyone is ready for it.**

**It's been a bumpy road for Ethan…**

Benny ran faster to the Morgan's, running down downtown Whitechapel streets, running into, pushing, and shoving people out of the way.

In Ethan's room, Ethan was shaking in fear and nervousness, he didn't want to die; by Jesse's hand or his own. Tears began to fall from Ethan's eyes. Jesse snapped, "What are you waiting for?! Pick up the freakin' knife and do it already!"

Ethan gasped at Jesse's outburst; Ethan mumbled softly, "I don't want to die."

**And it's not over yet.**

**Someone...**

Sarah asked Benny a cowardice tone in her voice, "What'd Jesse do to Ethan?" Sarah and Benny stared at each other, Benny growing a pained expression on his face. "Oh God." Sarah whispered.

**Will...**

Benny then ran down the street and up the Morgan's driveway and ran through the open front door and to his surprise; he saw the most gruesome thing he ever saw.

While Ethan began to pick up a knife, he put it to his arm, his hands shaking violently.

**DIE.**

Jesse growled, ran up to Ethan, took the knife and proceeded to put it to Ethan's throat. Ethan's bedroom door was kicked in, "Leave him alone!" Benny yelled, recklessly aiming his magic at Jesse and Ethan.

Sarah was on the phone with Benny in the park, "Benny?! Where are you? We heard screaming! Is Ethan okay? Benny?!" Sarah looked up at Erica and Rory who had worried looks on their faces, "This can't be good you guys."

**Do you think you're still ready for chapter 15? You MUST review if you are!**


	15. Termination

**TETHERED**

**PLEASE BE ADVISED: Because this chapter will have some very intense and gory moments; please read at your discretion. **

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><p><strong>Going to first reply to some reviews first beforehand;<strong>

**Orionastro: **Yes, after now 15 chapters, I think it's time Benny did _something_!

**Airrissaid: **Yes, _someone_ will die... or maybe at this point in the story they already have. Hmm indeed.

**Coleswagger14: **Thanks! I'm glad to hear that. I try my best to write this story on edge, but keep the MBAV theme of writing in it (in season 2 it seemed to be light-heavy-light-heavy).

**MBAV fan & jessexoxoethan: **Is now good? You know I won't [intentionally] leave you hanging. Unless you're reading my other fic "Clueless" too, then yeah, I've left you hanging for a good year and a half (apologies). It's not over YET with chapter 15!

**Darkness in a Ninja, labratslover, Autumrose, & TeamEthanMorgan: **Here it is! Are you ready? I can promise you this chapter and the next are NOT what anybody is thinking!

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><p><strong>PLEASE BE ADVISED: Because this chapter will have some very intense and gory moments; please read at your discretion. <strong>

Chapter 15: _Termination_

"JESSE?!" Sarah asked shocked. The four teenagers were walking in the park, Rory breaking the news of what Benny had just told him not ten minutes ago. "How do you know for sure it's Jesse that has Ethan?" She asked him with fear and concern in her tone.

Benny sighed, "Look Sarah, I can't tell you everything, only Ethan can do that, if he wants. But he told me some things Sarah... and it's not good." Sarah stopped in her tracks, the others followed suit when she did.

"Why did he tell it to me? Doesn't he trust me? He knows that he can!" Sarah yelled on the verge of a breakdown.

Benny answered, "Sarah, it's not exactly something he can easily talk about! Besides, he wasn't just worried for himself; he was worried about us, and Jesse choosing to come after us. He didn't want to tell me either."

"Not easy to talk about?" Sarah asked him, before something came to her mind that could be why Ethan wouldn't say anything, and she was hoping it wasn't; Sarah asked Benny a cowardice tone in her voice, "What'd Jesse do to Ethan?" Sarah and Benny stared at each other, Benny growing a pained expression on his face. "Oh God." Sarah whispered.

Erica and Rory glanced at each other and to Sarah and Benny, she asked them, "You guys want to let us in on it?"

As if Sarah and Benny were talking through their facial expressions, Sarah simply told the other two vampires, "Guys, we've got to get Ethan back." Sarah was about to take off on a run until Erica stopped her. Benny felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, but he didn't reach to get it just yet.

"Sarah wait, we need a plan! We can't just go storm his mansion, all randomly show up at the cemetery, or wherever he has Ethan; we all know how dangerous he is. He probably _wants_ us to go and do just that! Soon as we do, he'll either try to turn Ethan again; he'll drain him dry, or just kill him right in front of us."

Rory asked her, "Well don't we have to _find _Ethan first?"

Benny saw the three still discussing it intently, he chose to step away to check the message his cell phone had, it was from an unknown number. It read as follows, "Want seer? cum 2 Morgan's, bring nest of souls. Alone. Jesse Black." Benny's heart skipped a beat after reading this text, but he knew he had to. He couldn't image what Jesse has done at the Morgan's, but more so, _to _the Morgan's.

Benny began slowly but surely sneaking away so his friends wouldn't notice. He wanted to tell them, he should have told them, but he couldn't risk Jesse feeling their presence when he went to the Morgan's. When Benny got clear of his friends, he took off with a run, back to his best friend's house and hoped it wasn't some kind of bloodbath.

**At the Morgan residence.**

Ethan was still unconscious, but someone decided that it should come to an end. Ethan received a harsh slap to the face. At first Ethan thought he was still asleep, but he knew once he felt this, he wasn't. He was praying that it was a dream and not a recurring nightmare. He opened an eye to see something unsuspecting, he was in his room, on his bed, still wearing the worn, dirty, and bloody clothes he was wearing earlier at school; but what really shocked him, he saw his sister, Jane, on the floor, crying, tied up, and gagged. "What the- Jane?" He whispered trying to get up to get to her, someone pushing him back down.

"Uh-uh, Ethan." Jesse said to him smiling.

Ethan snarled, "Let her go Jesse, she's got nothing to do with this."

"Aww... look who's turned brave all of a sudden! I guess if I wanted a rise out of you, I should have come after your family first huh?" Jesse said in a mocking tone.

Ethan asked him, "Where are my parents?"

"All in due time Ethan. All in due time. But in the meantime, how about we have some _fun_?" He asked, showing his fangs. Ethan moved to charge him, it probably wasn't Ethan's best of ideas, Jesse quickly grabbed him and wrapped his arms around him from behind, keeping Ethan steady in his arms, "Guess you want me to show your sister what we've been up to the past week... or maybe _I _should show _her_... what do you think Ethan? It's up to you. You either be the good boy I know you can be, or you can keep being a defiant little prick and I'll take her and turn her! Being 10 years old forever, it sounds nice doesn't it, _Jane_?" Jesse asked her mockingly, she was on the floor crying.

Ethan yelled at him, "Hey, this isn't about her, it's about _me_! Leave her alone!"

"Listen you, I-" Jesse started as his cell phone rang, he pulled it out and looked at the ID, "Well look-ee here, guess we have time for a phone call huh?" Jesse touched the answer button on the screen, "Hello, _Benny._"

Benny snapped back, "Hey Jesse, I've got what you want, let me talk to Ethan!"

"_Talk_ to Ethan, no. _Hear his voice_, sure." Jesse said putting the phone on speaker.

Benny waited until he then heard a loud smack sound followed by Ethan yelling in pain and a thud, it sounded like Jesse might have punched him, Benny heard Ethan yell, "Whatever he wants you to do Benny, don't do it! I- UGH!"

Jesse then kicked Ethan, "Ignore all that. You'd better do _exactly _as I say Benny, or be prepared to say goodbye to both Ethan and his _whittle sister_."

Benny gasped, "Jesse, don't do anything foolish, I'll be there soon! Solo! Just don't harm either of them!"

"I won't, as long as you don't try any tricks, as if you could." Jesse then ended the call, Benny ran faster to the Morgan's, running down downtown streets, running into, pushing, and shoving people out of the way.

One man yelled, "Hey kid, slow down!"

"Sorry sir, life or death situation!" Benny yelled apologetically, still running; getting a queasy feeling the closer he got to the Morgan home.

Jesse chuckled, "Now _that _is someone who knows how to be obedient, maybe I should have gone after Weir and his granny instead."

Ethan was on the ground by his bed, and he saw something silver reflecting under it, it was a dagger. Ethan contemplated not to grab it, but chose to take it anyway. He knew this had to end, one way or another. He couldn't let Jesse get away and he couldn't risk Jesse hurting Jane or Benny when he arrived. Ethan hid it behind his back and got up, to face Jesse. Ethan asked him tiredly, "Jesse, what do you want?!"

"C'mon Ethan, after all we've been through," Jesse said standing directly in front of Ethan an inch from his face, Jesse whispered "You know what I want..." Jesse then saw the way Ethan was standing, adding "Starting with whatever it is you have behind your back. I'm going to assume it's another pencil." Jesse then reach his hand out, for Ethan to hand it over to him. Ethan was adamant, he just blankly stared at Jesse, you couldn't tell by looking, but Ethan was indeed worrying what would happen if he didn't comply with Jesse's request. "Fine, have it your way."

In the blink of an eye, Jesse then tackled Ethan to the ground, Ethan trying to hold onto his last line of defense for dear life, but it failed when Jesse flipped him over and snatched it out of his hand, "Well, well, well. I'm disappointed Ethan! I can't believe you were going to use this on me!" Jesse said in a mocking tone, pinning Ethan on the ground with a knee. Jesse then took a whiff in the air, something smelled vaguely familiar to him, it smelled nice. He then looked at the dagger to see a small trail of blood going down the blade, he then licked it off. A huge smile grew on Jesse's face and he snatched one of Ethan's hands to see he'd cut them with the blade. "Hmm, this brings back memories doesn't it?" Jesse began licking Ethan's bleeding fingers.

Being triggered as soon as Jesse started nibbling on his fingers; the memories of previous nights with the vampire came flooding back into his mind.

Jesse abducting him, Jesse sticking his fangs into him, drinking from him, Jesse raping him and tormenting him after the fact. The night Ethan told Benny. It all came back like a bad nightmare. Benny, Ethan then thought, realizing once Benny showed up, he was sure Jesse was going to harm Benny, despite if Benny gave into his demands or not. Jesse whispered in Ethan's ear, "You remember, _don't you_?"

"I'll never forget it you bastard." Ethan said coldly, getting up off the floor. "I don't know what you have planned, but let Jane go, and leave Benny alone. I'll do whatever you want."

Jesse smirked, "And now the bargaining is back. And who cares about that loser, he didn't save you the first time and he's not going to save you this time. When he gets here, I'm going to make him watch and then, I'm going to _kill_ him." Jesse then looked at the dagger, "Or better yet, I have another idea... _you're_ going to kill him."

"Why does anybody have to kill anybody?!" Ethan asked the vampire, on the verge of tears. "I'm _not _going to kill Benny, and you can't make me! If someone has to die to make you happy, if you'll leave Jane and Benny alone, fine, then kill me!" Ethan yelled. "Leave them alone... and kill _me_." Ethan weary of what he had just said.

Jesse thought over what Ethan had just said, "All these dramatics, just because of that weak spell master? You're in love with him aren't you?" Ethan didn't answer, he didn't know how to answer, Jesse added, "Too bad we'll never really know." Jesse then walked up to Ethan, inches away from his face. "I'm not going to kill you." Jesse then handed Ethan the dagger back, "You're going to kill yourself."

Benny then ran down the street and up the Morgan's driveway and ran through the open front door and to his surprise; he saw the most gruesome thing he ever saw. Covering his mouth in shock and upset, he was close to vomiting right there, "Oh God." Benny whispered, he yelled, "Jesse, I'm here! Ethan!" Benny quickly dialed his cell phone to Sarah and put it in his pocket; putting the speaker on.

Jesse and Ethan heard this and looked at each other, "Hmm, he's just in time to say goodbye." Ethan held the blade in his hand, looking from it to Jesse who told him, "The quickest, but messiest way to go; either pull the knife from the top of your arm to the bottom at your wrists, or slide it across your throat." Jesse wanted Ethan to off himself in a bloody way so Jesse could feed off of him for the last time.

Sarah upset that Benny took off saw that he was calling him, "Guys, it's Benny, he better have a good excuse for running off!"

"I don't even see how we missed him! We're all vampires; we should have sensed when he took off!" Rory deduced.

Sarah answered, "Benny where are you?!" Sarah waited for a response, but heard talking, "Benny?" Sarah's eyes shifted at what she was hearing, loud breathing and quick footsteps, which was probably Benny, and she heard mumbled talking. She put her phone on speaker, "Guys listen."

Ethan was shaking in fear and nervousness, he didn't want to die; by Jesse's hand or his own. Tears began to fall from Ethan's eyes. Jesse snapped, "What are you waiting for?! Pick up the freakin' knife and do it already!"

Ethan gasped at Jesse's outburst; Ethan mumbled softly, "I don't want to die."

"Too bad, you shouldn't have decided to play the hero while you're the damsel in distress! Now, DO IT, NOW!" Jesse yelled in frustration, wondering why he let Ethan decide his own fate. Ethan began to pick up the knife, he put it to his arm, his hands shaking violently, he tried to push it in, but couldn't find the strength to. Ethan whispered repeatedly, "I don't want to do this, I can't do this. Please don't make me do this!"

"Ethan!" Benny heard what was going on and raced upstairs.

Jesse growled, ran up to Ethan, took the knife and proceeded to put it to Ethan's throat. Just as he did, Ethan's bedroom door was kicked in, "Leave him alone!" Benny yelled, recklessly aiming his magic at Jesse and Ethan. A huge bolt of lightning, along with sparks flew from Benny's hands and straight to Jesse, Ethan ducking as quickly as he could.

Ethan screamed follow by a loud agonizing scream from Jesse as he spontaneously combusted into nothing steaming dark blood and guts all over Ethan's room, and all over Ethan. Jane was frantically screaming through her gag. Ethan gasped at what has just occurred, he looked from Benny, who was breathing heavily and seemed as if he were about to pass out; to the bloody knife on the ground; Ethan's look became a traumatized one as he saw that Jesse's blood and guts were all over him; him, his hair, his clothes, his room. Ethan then looked back down at the knife on the ground.

Benny looked to see the look on Ethan's face, he felt bad for Ethan; he knew that just because Jesse was gone, it was about to get much worse for him.

There was complete silence in the room; all that could be heard was Benny's heaving breathing and Sarah's muffled voice on Benny's phone in his pocket. "Benny? Ethan? What's going on; is somebody hurt, what's wrong?! Benny! Say something! Benny?!"

**To be continued...**

**How did everyone like chapter 15 (or hate chapter 15); either way, I have no real author's note to put here for this one; other than please read and review if you want to see the "continued" portion of this chapter, because it's STILL not over!**

**Alt. chap title: "Blatant Standoff"**

**No preview, sorry folks, but take my word for it, chapter 16 is just as wild.**

**I just want to thank EVERYONE who has read, reviewed, favorite, and followed this story! It's because of you guys that I keep coming back to continue! I need MEGA AWESOME REVIEWS so I can post chapter 16, which will tell some of what occurred while Ethan was unconscious in the last two chapters.**

**I have to say, it won't be pretty.**


	16. Inexcusable

**TETHERED**

**PLEASE BE ADVISED: Because this chapter will have some very intense and gory moments; please read at your discretion.**

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><p><strong>I posted chapter 15 last month and I was expecting my readers to jump up and down with excitement for it, which you did, but now, after I posted CH. 15, I got minimal reviews! Didn't you like it? I got more reviews in the PREVIEW for chapter 15 in chapter 14 than the 15th chapter itself! <strong>

**I guess I need to kill Ethan or Benny off. But Ethan's already dead anyway, inside.**

**Let me reply to the faithful reviewers and on with the chapter:**

**Orionastro: **Well yes, after 15 chapters, Jesse is gone, for now. He'll still be taunting Ethan; he's just not there in person to do it. As for the Bethan, it's definitely coming, but of course, drama always follows.

**TeamEthanMorgan: **I wanted to bring Jane back in because she's going to have questions about all of it at some point, I wonder who in this story, if anyone, will be able to answer them though. She's 10 years old.

**Rose:** I understand your frustrations, but although Ethan is the victim in the story, I hardly see him as one. Notice, Ethan rather let Jesse hurt him than his friends or his sister. I've noticed people on this site use the 3 main characters – Ethan, Benny, and Sarah – really as they see fit. I've seen a strong-Ethan/weak-Sarah dynamic, a strong-Benny/weak-Ethan dynamic and vice versa for both. It's not that Ethan's weak in this story as much as it's, Ethan would rather take abuse (of any form) from Jesse versus Jesse going after the people he loves. I can't promise Ethan won't be hurt more in this story, after you read this chapter you'll see why.

**MBAV fan: **Hmm, are you snooping around my computer or something?! But yes, Ethan's going to need some therapy, majorly. But how do you go to a therapist's office and say, "I was sexually assaulted by a vampire?" I'm going to love to write those chapters when I get the story to that point! Ethan's going to need multiple hugs, I think Benny's first in line though.

**Wolfgirl705: **I wanted to do one, but I chose to just let Benny end him, right then and there. Wait until grandma sees what he did, but I have a feeling she's not the only one he's going to have to worry about!

*** Questions for my readers though:** Anybody know if YTV has picked up the show yet? Everything is so quiet. Usually that's a **bad **sign!

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><p><strong>PLEASE BE ADVISED: Because this chapter will have some very intense and gory moments; please read at your discretion.<strong>

Chapter 16: _Inexcusable_

Ethan was shaking in fear and nervousness, he didn't want to die; by Jesse's hand or his own. Tears began to fall from Ethan's eyes. Jesse snapped, "What are you waiting for?! Pick up the freakin' knife and do it already!"

Ethan gasped at Jesse's outburst; Ethan mumbled softly, "I don't want to die."

"Too bad, you shouldn't have decided to play the hero while you're the damsel in distress! Now, DO IT, NOW!" Jesse yelled in frustration, wondering why he let Ethan decide his own fate. Ethan began to pick up the knife, he put it to his arm, his hands shaking violently, he tried to push it in, but couldn't find the strength to. Ethan whispered repeatedly, "I don't want to do this, I can't do this. Please don't make me do this!"

"Ethan!" Benny heard what was going on and raced upstairs.

Jesse growled, ran up to Ethan, took the knife and proceeded to put it to Ethan's throat. Just as he did, Ethan's bedroom door was kicked in, "Leave him alone!" Benny yelled, recklessly aiming his magic at Jesse and Ethan. A huge bolt of lightning, along with sparks flew from Benny's hands and straight to Jesse, Ethan ducking as quickly as he could.

Ethan screamed follow by a loud agonizing scream from Jesse as he spontaneously combusted into nothing steaming dark blood and guts all over Ethan's room, and all over Ethan. Ethan gasped at what has just occurred, he looked from Benny, who was breathing heavily and seemed as if he were about to pass out; to the bloody knife on the ground; Ethan's look became a traumatized one as he saw that Jesse's blood and guts were all over him; him, his hair, his clothes, his room. Ethan then looked back down at the knife on the ground.

Benny looked to see the look on Ethan's face, he felt bad for Ethan; he knew that just because Jesse was gone, it was about to get much worse for him.

There was complete silence in the room; all that could be heard was Benny's heaving breathing and Sarah's muffled voice on Benny's phone in his pocket. "Benny? Ethan? What's going on; is somebody hurt, what's wrong?! Benny! Say something! Benny?!"

Quietness. Stillness. Nothingness. For about a full sixty seconds, all that could be heard in the Morgan home; was nothing. No sounds of movement, no sounds of life, no sound of anything after the agonizing scream of the evil vampire, Jesse, who was now dead in the literal sense, thanks to Benny.

Ethan was sitting on the ground of his room by his bed, in a traumatic state, simply staring at the bloody knife on the floor next to his feet. It had traces of blood from him; he had a scratch on his neck as well where Jesse attempted to force the knife across it. Ethan was sitting there replaying the last week over and over in his head.

Benny was leaning up against the wall, trying to recompose himself; he knew he had overdone it with his magic, but he knew if he had failed Ethan this time; Ethan would be dead. Benny at first thought Ethan was who he hit, although Benny was glad he got Jesse, Benny didn't exactly have a victorious feeling after brutally killing the vampire. Benny looked at Ethan cautiously; he had never seen Ethan so lifeless, so broken. Even with their enemy dead, the pain inflicted physically and mentally by Jesse would never leave Ethan anytime soon.

Benny felt so bad for his best friend; he wished he could do his mind wiping spell and erase the whole week for Ethan; but his grandma has advised him not to do that sort of thing.

Benny looked over to Jane who was pretty much forced to see everything that had just played out. Benny saw her on the verge of tears, still tied up on the floor. He decided that he should untie her and get the gag off of her mouth. As soon as he did, she hugged him, and wailed, "Oh Benny, thank you!" He just held her in his arms as she cried; she tried to stop to tell him what happened. His phone vibrated, he took it out his pocket and saw it was Sarah calling back; he ignored her call for now.

"It was terrible Benny! Jesse, he just showed up here with Ethan." Jane explained.

_Jane recalling what happened after she had just got home from school herself with her parents._

_The doorbell rang, "I'll get it!" Mrs. Morgan said putting her car keys in a bowl on a table by the door. She opened the door and she looked to see a nice looking young man dressed in black at the door, holding someone. She looked to see it was Ethan, who looked at if he'd been beaten up, "ROSS!" She yelled for her husband, "Come in, quickly!" She said ushering Jesse in said._

_Mr. Morgan came from around a corner, "Lay him on the couch, son." Ross said to the young man. Jesse gently sat Ethan on their couch._

"_What happened?" Mrs. Morgan asked him concerned, stroking her son's face._

_Jesse explained, "Some popular kids decided to beat up your son after school today."_

"_So why didn't you take him to the nurse or a hospital, why'd you bring him here? He's unconscious!" Ross yelled._

_Samantha, who was letting tears fall then asked, "Wait a minute, you're not one of Ethan's usual friends, and how do you know where he lived?"_

"_I'm a _friend of his friend _Sarah." Jesse explained, noticing that Ethan obviously hadn't told his parents about the supernatural goings-on or who he was._

_Ross got his phone out, "I'm going to see Hicks tomorrow; it's bad enough all the weird stuff that goes on at that school, but this bullying? No, not my son." He said in an angry and determined tone._

_Jane came off the stairs to see what the commotion was, when she saw the familiar person standing with her parents, Jane yelled, "MOM, DAD, GET AWAY!"_

_They looked at Jane confused until Jesse ran up to Ross and bit his neck, Ross screaming in pain. Jesse drank some of Mr. Morgan's blood and let his body collapse to the floor. Ross writhing on the floor in pain, screaming in agony, holding his fiercely bleeding neck, until the outpour of his blood made him weak. Mrs. Morgan and Jane were screaming violently. Jesse licked the blood off of his lips, "Your husband is pretty tasty, just like your _son_. I wonder, how _you _taste_?_" Jesse asked walking over to Samantha._

_She cowered, "Whoever you are, please, leave my family be. Take whatever you want."_

"_Oh, I intend to… starting with _you_." Jesse said tackling Samantha to the ground, forcing her neck back and sinking his fangs into her harshly. She tried to get away from him, but Jesse held her tightly until she stopped fighting him._

_Jane screeched at the horrible scene that just unfolded right before her very young eyes. Jane took off upstairs like a shot. "Oh Jane!" Jesse yelled in a sing-song voice. He scooped Ethan up off of the couch and followed Jane's scent upstairs. _

_Jesse looked at all the things on the door of the room, one sign that stuck out most, one that read "Ethan's Room". Jesse smirked, "Of course, I'd have looked here first either way." Jesse used his foot to open the bedroom door. Jesse walked over to Ethan's bed and placed him on the bed; Jesse then stroked loose hairs out of Ethan's face and went down stroking his cheek._

_Jane was under the bed, clutching a dagger, in the event she had to use it. She didn't even know how, she was just going to jab him with it and hope she could make a run for it. She watched Jesse's feet walk away._

_Jesse then walked to Ethan's closet and flung the door open, to see it empty. Jane watched in paralyzing fear Jesse's feet returning to the bed. Jesse whispered, "I know you're under here _Jane_, you can come out willingly, or I can drag you out from under there." He knew she was under the bed, she didn't move an inch after he said that. "I won't kill you like I just did your parents, I promise." Jane still did nothing to acknowledge that she heard him or his request. "Fine, have it your way then."_

_Jesse peaked under the bed and dragged Jane out from under it by her feet, Jane dropping the dagger she had in her hands._

Jane was sobbing as she was telling Benny what happened next, "And after that, he found some rope and a cloth and tied me up!" She then began crying, "That- that's when he started messing with Ethan. He, he threatened to kill us, but Ethan told him to just-just kill _him_!"

Benny just continued to hold her as she told him what had previously occurred prior to his arrival; which after hearing this; he wished he had arrived sooner. Although Jane had grown up and knew more of the supernatural world; it also had elements of the real world; some things Benny was sure Jane didn't know about yet, and hoped she'd never have to know. But with her parents dead, she soon might have to learn.

What Jesse had been doing lately was just cold-blooded revenge at its worst. Rape, torture, double murder, kidnapping. Benny hates he gave Jesse the easy way out by a quick death.

Not that Benny was wishing that the tragedy that had now befallen the Morgan siblings, to happen to someone else, but he really didn't want it to be Ethan and Jane.

Benny then looked over to Ethan to see he had his head in his hands and was fidgeting, before he was just sitting still with a blank stare. He didn't know how much more Ethan could take. Nor did Benny know what might be going through the seer's head, which made Benny question; did Ethan know that this could have possibly been the outcome. He knew Ethan had to have had some kind of visions the past few days since this; but Ethan said nothing of them.

It seemed to go from bad to worse for Ethan. Although he was partially in his own traumatic world in his head, he heard the turmoil Jane was describing across the room. Ethan began to breath heavily, he closed his eyes and quietly asked Jane, "Why are you lying, Jane?"

"Huh?" She sniffled, walking over to Ethan attempting to hug him; Ethan harshly grabbed her arm to stop her.

He asked her coldly but sharply, a pained undertone in his voice, "_Why_ are you _lying _Jane?!"

"Ethan, why would I make this up?!" Jane snapped, snatching her arm away from Ethan.

Ethan shot up off the floor and raced downstairs, yelling, "It _can't _be true!"

Jane whimpered and turned to a hurt Benny, tears falling from her eyes, "Benny," she choked out, "Why won't he-?"

"He's been through a lot this week Jane." Benny explained, using his thumb to wipe tears off of her cheeks. He then put his arms around her, "Are you going to be okay, long enough for me to go downstairs and check on him?" Jane simply nodded, "We'll be back Jane."

Benny then walked out in the hallway; he was dreading to go downstairs, not just because of the massacre that had occurred downstairs, but because he knew once Ethan saw it this, it would definitely be the one thing that breaks Ethan; in all forms.

Ethan walked over to his father first and flew down to his knees, in anguish. "Dad." Ethan whispered painfully, grabbing his father's immobile hand and tightly gripping it, hopeful that it would grip back, but it didn't. When it didn't, this made Ethan even more upset than he already was. He then crawled across the blood covered floor to his mother, whose body was turned facedown.

Benny watched in sadness, guilt, and almost horror as he saw Ethan and his now deceased parents and what Jesse had done to them. He only could glance when he first got there, wanting to save Ethan and Jane. But now to take it in, in detail, it was scary even. Ethan's parents, there on the floor of their living room, lying in a pool of their own blood, dead.

Benny was almost about to cry right there on the stairs, the Morgan's were like second parents to him. He hung around with them almost as much as he did Ethan; often hanging out with them during things they – the Morgan's – had intended to do as a family; going to and watching movies together, going to the beach, theme park visits, bike rides – something Ethan hated to do – vacations out of town and even out of the country; visiting other Morgan relatives, if you named it, Benny has likely done it with the Morgan family.

Meanwhile, Sarah and the gang were trying to decipher what they heard in the phone call with Benny. They decided that they needed to go to Ethan's, but all three vampires had a bad feeling in the pit of their stomachs, and it wasn't hunger.

"Sarah, you don't think," Rory was about to ask, in a nervous and shaky tone.

Sarah cut him off sharply, "No I don't, and you shouldn't either."

"Well, S, that sounded pretty bad." Erica said, not wanting to be the one that sounded negative about Ethan and Benny's fates. "It didn't help that the call ended after that loud shrieking and you couldn't get Benny back."

Rory then added frustrated, "And that breathing, it sounded like some mad man!"

"Sarah, think you're going to be able to end Jesse if it comes down to it?" Erica asked Sarah.

Sarah nodded her head, "He's done some unspeakable and inexcusable things now; whether he's killed Ethan and Benny or not, either way, he's going down."

"Let's go!" Rory yelled taking flight, the girls nodded at each other and following Rory.

Back at the Morgan home; Ethan was on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, and hugging his dead mother, who was covered in blood.

Benny watched the scene before him play out in anguish, he decided that he couldn't watch anymore and decided to go back upstairs and check on Jane. "B-benny, wait." Ethan's voice meekly called to him, Benny stopped. Ethan gently placed his mother down and walked over to Benny, wiping tears that were in his eyes. "You... you can do something, can't you?" Ethan asked him hopeful; he knew what the spell master could do.

"Ethan, I don't understand." Benny was confused at what Ethan meant at first until Ethan explained.

Ethan stood in front of Benny, "You can bring them back, can't you? You and grandma? Right Benny?"

"Ethan I-"

Ethan continued, before Benny could say anything further, "S-sure you can, you've brought back dead animals. One time it was a complete success. You brought a cat to life for Rory, remember? And Della's dead dog, Puffles? You can bring my parents back." Ethan deduced.

"Ethan." Benny then placed his hands on Ethan's shoulders, "Ethan..." Benny sighed, already regretting what he was about to say next, "I... I don't think I can."

Ethan urged Benny too, "Sure you can B, you can try, for me, _please_?"

"Ethan, we both know it doesn't work that way." Benny answered, knowing Grandma had numerous discussions with him about bringing back dead animals and for him not to bring back anything or anyone back from the dead. And he was sure his grandmother included Ethan's parents in that list, even if their deaths were premature and unfair.

Ethan then began pushing and shoving on Benny, yelling at him, "DAMN IT BENNY, THIS ISN'T FAIR AND YOU KNOW IT! MY PARENTS WERE _INNOCENT_ AND JESSE KILLED THEM FOR _NO_ REASON!" Benny let Ethan continue to shove and yell at him until Ethan began wailing and gripping onto Benny. "He took them from them Benny, and I... I couldn't stop him." Ethan said crying into Benny's chest. Benny just held Ethan, rubbing his back, and 'shh-shing' him, trying to calm him.

They then heard panicked knocking on the front door, followed by the doorbell.

"E?" Benny said, not wanting to break contact with his friend, but he felt he should probably get the door, because he knew it was likely their other friends. Benny tried to pull Ethan off of him, but he could feel Ethan's grip tighten even more so than it already was. "Ethan, I've got- I've got to get the door."

Ethan didn't want Benny to stop holding him, but he knew it was probably their friends, so he slowly released his grip on Benny. Tears continued to fall from his face; he wiped them away and walked back over to his mother.

Benny watched and then walked to the door, opening it first seeing determined looks on his friends' faces quickly change to looks of shock and surprise. Sarah saw Benny's disheveled appearance, he had blood all over his shirt and hoodie, and Benny looked as if he were soon going to pass out from exhaustion. Sarah gasped "Benny, oh my God what happened?!"

"Jesse happened." Benny sadly answered.

Rory, fangs showing and ready for battle, asked, "Where is he?"

"Gone. I vanquished him." Benny simply answered.

Erica saw how depressed he looked and how down he sounded, "Well why don't you seem more enthused? That prick is gone, why are you so down?!"

"He killed Ethan's parents." Benny simply answered. Erica then fell silent and Rory's fangs retracted but he then was frowning.

Sarah's mouth was agape and she looked as if she were about to cry, "W-where's Ethan?"

"He's in there." Benny answered pointing in the living room, the three were about to walk in until Benny held up a hand in caution, "You guys might not want to see this. It's pretty bad. Plus it might trigger your urge to feed… just to warn you."

The three looked from Benny to each other before nodding back at Benny, who stepped out of the way to let them in. They carefully walked around the furniture until they saw in the living room; Ethan's parents on the ground in a pool of their own blood, dead. Ethan covered in their blood and likely his own, Ethan kissing his mother on the cheek and running a bloody hand through her bloody hair.

The three looked at the sight in horror, but especially Sarah, where silent tears were streaming down her face. The Morgan's weren't her parents, but more her employers, nevertheless, she often thought of them as friends. Sarah kneeled down on the floor next to Ethan, embracing him. She whispered, "I'm _so_ sorry, Ethan."

Ethan sat there staring at his parents in silence, just letting Sarah hold him in her arms. Something that came as a shock to the others, Erica abruptly walked back outside. Sarah knew, even though Erica loved and embraced her vampire side and choosing to live a vampire's way of life, Sarah knew even Erica knew _this_ was wrong.

Rory just stood there in shock and silence, the Morgan's treated him as if he were family as well. They welcomed him into their home with open arms as much as they did Benny. Only Benny wasn't causing as much trouble around their home like him. Rory then realized something, he didn't see Jane. He nervously asked, "Uh... where is Jane, is she..." he trailed.

"No, no, she's okay; just shaken and scared. She's upstairs." Benny answered softly.

Sarah sniffled, "I... I'll go check on her." Sarah tightly hugged Ethan before getting up and slowly walking upstairs, trying to compose herself for Jane.

"I'll come with you, Sarah." Rory said going upstairs behind her.

Benny looked at Ethan who was now standing and just staring; he really wanted to know how Ethan was feeling and what he was thinking. It seemed like Ethan was taking blow after blow about something lately, he knew his friend was going through so many emotions right now. Benny sighed, he knew he had to call his grandma and let her know what has happened, he was sure this tragic news might just kill her. "E," Benny said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I'm gonna call gram, okay?"

Ethan didn't acknowledge that he heard the spell master. He continued staring; he didn't make a sound, any motion, nothing.

Benny walked into the next room, took a moment before getting out his phone and dialing, the phone rang two times before his grandma picked up in fear, "Benny, what's going on?! I heard a horrible scream a few moments ago! What's happened?!" His grandmother asked in concern.

"It's Ethan's parents, grandma..." Benny swallowed, "They're dead... Jesse, he killed them."

**The end of the 16th installment of TETHERED. I told everyone that **_**someone**_** was going to die and that these chapters were gory; chapters 15 & 16 were two-part chapters really (although really it's more a huge arc since this part of the story started with chapter 13). Since chapter 10 this story really is just a continuous story, no real time progression; the chapters really just pick up where they leave off. And although Jesse is dead, literally; it's STILL NOT over! **

**What I wanted with "Termination" & "Inexcusable" was to move this story forward past Jesse. I think I kept him around 15 chapters too many really, soon you guys were going to get bored, me bringing Jesse around to torment and hurt Ethan. Now, all Ethan wants really is to move on; I wish him good luck with that. Jesse's killing, which was reckless on Benny's part, stirs up questions.**

**As for the death(s); I'm hoping everyone knew that Jesse's fate was sealed starting with chapter 3 (he was never going to live to see the end of this story); but something I was struggling with while writing this story up to this point, should he take Ethan with him? I wanted a battle scene with all of them, but I decided it should probably just be Benny, since he's gotten reckless over the course of this story, because of Jesse (and his [Benny's] developing feelings for the seer, that will soon be explored further). **

**Jesse killing Ethan's parents was just another way for Jesse to play mind games with Ethan. Now Ethan will always have to think of Jesse, because Jesse killed his parents. Speaking of which, Jane and Ethan are orphans now… or are they?**

**Review please!**

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><p><strong>Preview time!<strong>

**The trouble for the Ethan and the gang is just getting started!**

Ms. Weir walked into the house and immediately saw the blood drenched living room. She walked in to see Ross Morgan over by an end-table and Samantha in the middle of the living room; both with fang marks on the necks and covered in the own blood which was also pooled around them. "Dear me..." Ms. Weir said softly.

She looked over to see Ethan sitting with his back to a chair, with a lost look and hugging his knees.

Benny yelled to his grandmother, upset at the notion they couldn't bring the Morgan's back to life, "There should be _something _we can do for him with our powers!"

Ms. Weir then asked him, "So, that's your solution to _every_ situation, use magic?" Benny didn't answer he just stared at her, "Ethan has a lot of processes, he's going to _have_ to go through." She looked over to Ethan to see the blank stare on his face. She noticed Benny was looking at Ethan who still sat quietly looking at his dead parents. "Benny." She called him sternly, "We have to move quickly. Get Ethan out of here, I need to go upstairs and see what the damage is."

**But the question is: how much worse can things get?**

Erica then came back into the house in a hurry, "Uh, we might have a problem. I hear sirens, and they sound as if they're coming this way."

Grandma added, "The human world isn't the only one we have to worry about either I'm afraid."

Sarah looked at Ms. Weir confused, "What do you mean?"

"The Vampire Council, the head of the Spell master's Committee... they're all going to want some answers as well." Ms. Weir answered, then looking sternly at Benny adding, "And you _better_ be prepared."

A siren wailed outside, the gang was watching a police cruiser pull up in the Morgan's driveway. Two police officers got out of the car and walked to the front door.

No one said anything; they just watched the scene unfold.

The male officer knocked on the door and identified themselves, "Whitechapel PD!"

The female officer looked around and eyed through one of the side windows, "Frank, we got two bodies down in there!" The two officers then drew their weapons. Frank then stepped back to kick down the Morgan's front door, yelling "Police!" as they entered.

**Uh-oh, this is **_**definitely not good **_**for the gang, but it looks like Benny might be the one falling into hot water!**

**I NEED to see mega awesome reviews for chapter 17 guys! I know you'll review, I have no worries – you want more! I can't thank you ALL enough; for following, reviewing, and favoring this story this far in, it means a lot!**


	17. Calamity

**TETHERED**

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><p><strong>Happy Fourth of July, U.S.A.!<strong>

**Let me respond to the awesome reviews I got for chapter 16 and on with the story! And as always, thanks to those who have reviewed and those that will continue to do so - it's what keeps me writing this story – even when I take these long ass breaks between postings, again I apologize!**

**Everyone who did review wondering about Ethan and Jane: **This chapter answers what COULD happen really, bear in mind they still have true blood relatives that are still living and that are close to Whitechapel - I don't think Evelyn wants to have a lengthy custody battle in the midst of everything else that's going on. I'll put it this way; I'll open a door for Ethan and Jane.

**TeamEthanMorgan & orionastro: **Actually the head Spell Master's do have merits here, just as well as the Vampire Council. Benny didn't listen to his grandmother, and it could come back to bite him - maybe literally.

**MBAV fan: **You do remember in the movie, Jane had a hand in helping vanquish Jesse. She was helping Evelyn. Jesse wanted to make her suffer just as well as Ethan; she can't suffer if he kills her. Jane is going to be just as tortured (or 'Tethered') as Ethan is when it comes to remembering what Jesse has done. He brutally killed their parents in front of her.

**The Zombie:** I searched on the Facebook group people were talking about it's been renewed. But that's all. Nothing from Fresh. I am a skeptic when it comes to TV renewal announcements from third parties. Although I do hope it's true in the long run. If the show was on, it'd inspire me even more to write.

**Bethan Forever: **Bad you, bad! You keep reviewing now; I need to know you're alive! :) None of them at the councils are going to be pleased when they find out, and it's _how _they're going to find out that's the kicker. Benny might not be the only one in hot water.

**Dominus Trinus 13: **Thank you for your kind words and I'm glad you (and others) stuck with this story! Not only do I ask for reviews as a reminder to keep writing, but I also like the feedback and reception. If you guys weren't to like a chapter, I'd like to know so I can change the course of the story (or rewrite it). You guys are awesome! Bethan is coming, but there is a lot of drama that precedes.

**Darkness in a Ninja: **Ethan is not okay at all right now. As for Sarah, with the Vampire Council looming, it might not be in her best interests right now to start thinking about job hunting.

**Rose: **Thank you, I won't say I have the _best _Bethan story up, I think some people have some better than mine! Next chapter is when Ethan asks the very question of what you said, Benny causing more harm than help.

** genora shackelford9: **Thank you as well! I will read it ASAP (As you can guess, I'm really not on here enough. I update like once or twice a month. And I mean to update more often than that, I'm just a busy body really, 24/7).

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><p>Chapter 17: <em>Calamity<em>

"I'm sorry Benny, but did you say what I think you said?" Grandma Weir asked cautiously, on the phone with Benny.

Benny answered, "Yeah Gram, Jesse killed E's parents. It's a mess over here."

"What about Jane? Please don't tell me that sadistic vampire killed her too, she was just a child." She asked hoping that the young girl was still alive and well.

Benny relived his grandmother, "No Jane's alive. I don't think Jesse intended on killing her as much as he wanted to use her as leverage."

"How is Ethan?" She asked.

Benny looked over his friend who appeared to have a lost look on his face; he was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees like a young child who would be afraid of a harsh thunderstorm. Benny simply answered, "It's not good Grandma."

Erica then came back into the house in a hurry, "Uh, we might have a problem. I hear sirens, and they sound as if they're coming this way."

"Umm, we might have another problem." Benny added.

His grandma sighed, "I heard. Listen Benny, don't anybody do anything. I'm coming over." She then ended the call.

"Grandma? Grandma? Hello? Gram?" Benny kept asking, knowing the line went dead before he heard his phone lightly beeping. "Huh. She hung up. Even with Ethan's folks dead, she can still act this way." Benny looked to Erica who was looking at Ethan with a look of sympathy. "Grandma's on her way, I just hope she gets here before-" Benny was cut off as there was some gentle knocking on the door.

Benny answered the door in surprise, "Grandma, how'd you?"

"Transporting spell. Years of practice." She answered, "Something you will never master if you don't keep practicing."

Benny groaned, "So gram-ma, you pick _now _to scold me about not practicing magic?! Besides, _I_ vanquished Jesse!"

"And the _way_ you did it, we will discuss later." She said to him sternly. She then walked into the house and immediately saw the blood drenched living room. She walked in to see Ross Morgan over by an end-table and Samantha in the middle of the living room; both with fang marks on the necks and covered in the own blood which was also pooled around them. "Dear me..." Ms. Weir said softly, looking at the two deceased people she considered very close friends, especially since they helped take care of Benny from time-to-time when she was away.

Grandma knew now wasn't the best time to mourn with the police on their way. She deduced someone else in the neighborhood must have heard the screaming and called 9-1-1. She looked over to see Ethan sitting with his back to a chair, with a lost look and hugging his knees. "_The poor dear, he's been through so much_."

She then thought about his sibling, "Where is Jane?" She asked looking around.

"Upstairs with Rory and Sarah," Erica answered.

Benny added, "Ethan wanted to see his parents, I thought Jane should stay upstairs. She saw them when they were killed. She's seen enough."

"Good thinking. Erica dear, give these to Sarah," Ms. Weir took out her house keys and handed them to Sarah. "Tell Sarah to take Jane out the back door and to my house and you guys wait there."

Erica nodded her head, "Got it." She then looked at Ethan one more time, before rushing upstairs. Erica walked up to Ethan's room door and knocked, hearing Sarah softly saying 'Come in'. Erica walked in slowly and saw a sight in the room. Ethan's room was trashed and disgusting. She saw burnt pieces of wall, dark vampire blood and guts all over the room; she looked on the floor to see a bloody knife by the bed along with rope and a cloth. "This makes _Dusk _look like a cheesy Disney movie." Erica noted softly, ever since she was turned into a vampire, most things didn't scare her anymore, but the scene that was Ethan's room – well now almost his entire home – would be burned into her memory forever.

Erica got out of her mind to see Rory and Jane sitting on Ethan's bed, Rory holding Jane in his arms. Rory asked, "Grandma's downstairs?"

"Yeah, she wants us to take Jane and go to her house." Erica said, handing Sarah the keys. "And more bad news, the cops might be heading this way."

Sarah sighed, "Oh great. It's bad enough we're going to have to somehow explain all this to family, friends, and classmates, but now the _police_ are involved?"

"Apparently, but let's discuss it later. We should probably get out of here Sarah." Rory said to her, nudging Jane. "You ready, Jane?"

Jane sniffled, "Wha-, what about Ethan?"

"He's downstairs with Grandma and Benny." Sarah answered, "He'll be fine."

Rory and Jane hopped off the bed and began to walk out of the room, "Unless grandma has some kind of spell that can change Ethan back to the way he was before, he's _not_ going to be fine." Jane responded.

Although Sarah didn't say, she agreed with Jane. Ethan was far from fine and it'd probably be a long time before he gets back to his old self, if ever.

Downstairs, Benny and his grandmother were deciding what their next move should be. "With the police getting involved, there are some things we need to cover up." She said to Benny, noticing he was looking at Ethan who still sat quietly looking at his dead parents. "Benny." She called him sternly, "We have to move quickly. Get Ethan out of here, I need to go upstairs and see what the damage is."

"What about them?" Benny asked, motioning towards Ethan's parents, "Ethan wondered if, if they could be brought back."

His grandmother responded, "Benny, we could go through every spell, every potion, incantation, ritual... they _could _be brought back, but not in a way that Ethan would truly want them. They'd be like carbon copies, if you will."

"What about a mind wipe?" Benny asked her.

Her eyes bulged, "Benjamin..." she trailed in a warning tone.

"I'm just saying, there should be _something _we can do for him with our powers!" He said, wanting to help his best friend somehow.

Ms. Weir then asked him, "So, that's your solution to _every_ situation, use magic?" Benny didn't answer he just stared at her, "Ethan has a lot of processes, he's going to _have_ to go through." She looked over to Ethan to see the blank stare on his face, "He appears to be going through one now: numbness." Benny just continued to look at his friend, "Take him outside." She said to him softly, "There's nothing more... we can do for them. I'm sorry." She said, her voice breaking, on the verge of tears herself. She then walked upstairs, going to see Ethan's room where the rest of the action occurred, a sight she really didn't want to see, she had seen enough for the day.

Benny walked over to Ethan and put a hand on his friend's shoulder, which triggered a vision for Ethan.

_Ethan saw Benny on the ground, holding himself, he looked to be in pain. Ethan could also hear a harsh cackling laugh. Ethan also saw fangs and hands with power being sucked into them. _

Ethan then blinked and the vision was over, he looked out the corner of his eyes to see Benny's hand on his shoulder. Ethan took Benny's hand, to Benny's surprise, and brought it to his face, hugging his hand. Benny knelt down by Ethan and wrapped him in a hug, Benny for probably once in his life, couldn't think of anything to say. He would have consoled Ethan by telling him it'd be alright, but Benny wasn't really sure of that. Ethan had been raped and traumatized by a vampire numerous times over the past week and who then turned around and killed his parents, all because of some sick revenge plot. He was also beaten by that vampire and others as well. Benny blamed himself for this.

Benny thought, "_I should have tracked Jesse down as soon as this happened. I let this go on too long and now Ethan's parents are dead."_

"Come on E." Benny whispered, trying to pull his friend up, Ethan seeming to refuse, making groaning sounds. "Ethan, come on man. The police are coming, we _shouldn't_ be here!"

Ethan just clutched Benny, as if holding onto Benny was the only thing keeping him alive. Ethan looked at his dead parents one last time before Benny basically was dragging Ethan out of the house.

Grandma Weir was upstairs in Ethan's room, staring in shock at the destroyed room. She had seen what the others had seen earlier, she saw vampire blood all over everything, along with traces of human blood, she deduced Ethan's; on the floor, the bed and on the knife that was on the floor.

She saw a spot on the wall that was burned to a crisp; she assumed it was where Benny aimed his magic to destroy Jesse. She stared at it intently, studying it. She thought she had seen everything Benny could possibly do, but she knew now apparently, she was wrong. She touched the burned spot on the wall, muttering, "All this anger and rage."

She stepped back and refocused on fixing the room, she knew she didn't have much time to dwell on what she was looking at.

A siren wailed outside, the gang was watching a police cruiser pull up in the Morgan's driveway from the Weir residence. Two police officers dressed in blue, got out of the car and walked to the front door. Benny was nervous, "Oh God, grandma's not out of there yet and they are already at the door!"

No one said anything; they just watched the scene unfold.

The male officer knocked on the door and identified them, "Whitechapel PD!"

The female officer looked around and eyed through one of the side windows, "Frank, we got two bodies down in there!"

"Just another day in Whitechapel, eh," Frank sardonically asked his partner, the two officers drawing their weapons. He then stepped back to kick down the Morgan's front door, yelling "Police!" as they entered. "Lisa you stay down here, I'll check the upstairs." He whispered, going upstairs, gun drawn.

Lisa checked on the Morgan's, holding her weapon; she checked each of them for a pulse and got nothing. She continued her search of downstairs going through the kitchen, dining room, and checking the closet and pantry doors before yelling, "Clear!"

Officer Frank was upstairs checking all the rooms upstairs in the house before stumbling across Ethan's room, which was pulled up to the frame. He used his foot to open the door, he leaped in the room, flashing his weapon back and forth, he searched Ethan's closet before yelling, "Clear!"

Benny was outside pacing, he knew those cops had been in there a long time now without a single sound, he hoped they weren't in there about to arrest his grandmother or worse, she doing something to the officers.

"This looks just like it'd make for an _awesome _cop movie!" Rory said amazed. Sarah, Benny, and Erica stared at him with angered or dead expressions, Rory stammered, "T-T-that is if it weren't for the fact that it's real and Ethan's parents are dead."

Benny then felt a hand on his shoulder; he looked behind him to see his grandmother. "Jeez Gram, I thought for sure I was about to see them dragging you out in handcuffs!"

She only sighed at Benny's apparent naivety.

Inside the house the police officers were downstairs looking at the deceased bodies of the Morgan's, the female officer, Lisa, got out her radio, "We'd better call the detectives squad and crime scene."

"I swear, Whitechapel get's crazier, and crazier; from all the weird stuff that happens in this town to this kind of bloody killing." Frank noted.

In a matter of 20 minutes, more police cars were at the Morgan home as well as crime scene vans, an ambulance and even the fire department.

Crime scene technicians were shocked at what they were looking at; taking numerous pictures of the crime scene, but more importantly, the marks on the Morgan's necks. One of the techs asked one of the detectives standing behind him, "Have you ever seen anything like this?"

The detective kneeled down by Mr. Morgan's body and eyed the marks on his neck, "Unfortunately. I've been a cop in this town for twenty-five years, a detective for twelve and a half. All murders are different, some are cut-and-dry, but some are like this. Ritualistic, brutal, and dare I say... 'vampiristic'." The male man said to the young tech, he then looked at a woman holding a clipboard, writing things down, "Let me guess the cause of death, exsanguinated?"

"You would be correct detective, and their deaths were instantaneous, so they didn't suffer. But the manner in which they died," The woman kneeled next to the detective, "You see these marks?" She said, pointing a gloved hand at Mr. Morgan's neck, "Most would assume fang marks or some kind of large bore needle designed to look like fang marks." She deduced.

The detective cleared his throat, "Well what do you think?"

"I can't say conclusively until I get them on the table, detective. But either way, from my prelim exam, the manner of death is definitely a homicide." She answered.

The detective stood up, "A call was placed around 3:30 this afternoon, a neighbor called 9-1-1, saying she heard loud screaming and yelling from this home." The detective looked at a family photo and picked it up looking at Jane and Ethan, "Anyone seen these two kids?"

"Yeah, one of them is outside with an elderly neighbor, that she called her grandmother; she's talking to a uni. The older kid was in the ambulance with the old lady's grandkid, in shock. He's also got some bleeding and bruising himself. Apparently they were all close." One of the uniformed officers answered.

The detective asked, "The older one is in the bus?"

"Their son, Ethan, 17. Goes to the high school, his friend said it happened at school. It appears it has no relation to the murders." The officer answered, "He has some serious shock, though. He's just waiting for the paramedics to clean him up and either admit him or clear him."

The detective was shaking his head, "He's not the only one in shock. This is just a calamity."

Someone then placed a white sheet over Mr. Morgan.

Meanwhile outside, residents in the neighborhood were talking to police about what they had seen or heard, which wasn't much for most of them. Closer neighbors reported to officers, they heard screams, but didn't see anything or anyone. Numerous people with cameras and even the local news was there taking video and getting images behind yellow crime scene tape. Murders weren't typically on the list of day-to-day things that occurred in Whitechapel.

Grandma Weir, Benny, and Sarah were standing at a distance, watching everything; well Benny was more focused on Ethan, who was sitting on the back of an ambulance with an EMT attending to his wounds. Sarah asked softly, "What's the plan, Grandma?"

Ms. Weir sighed and looked at the young vampire, placing an arm around her shoulder, her other arm around Benny's, "Kids, honestly... I don't have one." They both then looked at her as she continued, "The only thing now, is to make sure the police learn nothing of our secrets. And to keep them from discovering Ethan and Jane's parents' true murderer."

"How Gram?" Benny asked depressed and confused, "It's not like we can watch all these people 24/7."

Sarah answered Benny's question, "I think she means if you hear people saying things like: 'vampire's', 'wizards' and 'seers,' mind wipe them and lead them up the tree backwards."

"Precisely, Sarah." She agreed, nodding.

Benny then asked worriedly, "What about Ethan and Jane?"

"One of the officers asked me for contact info on any close relatives. I told them that I'd call Ethan and Jane's aunt and uncle in Erin. I know they're probably going to take Jane with them, I don't know what Ethan wants to do." She answered.

Benny replied to her, "I know Ethan, gram, he's _not _going to be cool with being split up from Jane, especially after something like this. But he's also not going to want to leave us and Whitechapel either. Can't _we _keep Jane?"

"She needs to be around her actual family after something as traumatic as what she witnessed and endured, Benny." She answered softly. Grandma wanted to keep both Jane and Ethan with her and Benny but she knew it was best for her at least to be with her aunt and uncle. With Jane being a minor, she probably wouldn't have much a say in the matter with the police involved. Grandma added, "The human world isn't the only one we have to worry about either I'm afraid."

Sarah looked at Ms. Weir confused, "What do you mean?"

"The Vampire Council, the head of the Spell master's Committee, which I have a chair there; they're all going to want some answers as well." Ms. Weir answered, then looking sternly at Benny adding, "And you _better_ be prepared."

Benny then swallowed hard at what his grandma had just said. Benny flashbacked to how he entered the Morgan home; his urge to save Ethan and his rage boiling at Jesse for everything he had done.

_Benny was running up the Morgan's side walk and through their front door. Benny recalled when he first saw Ethan parents dead on the floor covered and pooled in blood. He covered his mouth in shock and upset, he was close to vomiting right there, "Oh God." Benny whispered, he yelled, "Jesse, I'm here! Ethan!" Benny quickly dialed his cell phone to Sarah and put it in his pocket; putting the speaker on._

_Benny standing at the edge of the stairs heard Jesse yelling, "What are you waiting for?! Pick up the freakin' knife and do it already!"_

_Benny thought he heard Ethan mumble that he didn't want to die._

"_Too bad, you shouldn't have decided to play the hero while you're the damsel in distress! Now, DO IT, NOW!" Jesse was yelling. Benny could barely hear them though over his loudly beating heart in his ears. Benny heard Ethan saying repeatedly, "I don't want to do this, I can't do this. Please don't make me do this!"_

"_Ethan!" Benny then decided it was now or never, he then raced up the stairs and to Ethan's room, kicking in the door. Benny saw Jesse standing behind Ethan attempting to slide a blade across his friend's throat. "Leave him alone!" Benny yelled, then recklessly aiming his magic at Jesse and Ethan. A huge bolt of lightning, along with sparks flew from Benny's hands and straight to Jesse, Ethan ducking as quickly as he could._

_Ethan screamed follow by a loud agonizing scream from Jesse as he spontaneously combusted into nothing but steaming dark blood and guts all over Ethan's room, and all over Ethan._

_Benny, out of breath, staring at what he'd just done._

Benny just stared for a moment, wondering how things could have turned out if he'd acted differently. Benny knew he could have done things differently, listened to his grandmother when she suggested capturing Jesse in opposition to obliterating him. Or Benny could have just listened to Ethan when he didn't feel right at school. "Ethan needed to be saved, and Jesse needed to be destroyed." Benny said coldly.

Sarah stared shocked at his tone, his grandmother sharply answered, "Well ask yourself this Benny; who did you really kill Jesse for, Ethan, or yourself?"

The young paramedic that was tending to Ethan's wounds looked him over once more to make sure she got all of them she saw. The cut on his neck from when Jesse attempted to slide it across his neck; the abrasions on his arms, hands, and torso, along with a small gash on his forehead from the fight he was in afterschool, on top of previous injuries he had sustained with Jesse. She managed to hide the bandage on his head with his hair. "Well, there you are honey. Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" She asked him.

Ethan simply shook his head no.

"Well, make sure to change the dressing on these. It'll be a while, but they'll be gone before you know it. They'll just be scars." She instructed, she saw that he slowly nodded. She then added, "I'm also sorry for your loss." She added placing a hand on his shoulder, "The police, they'll find the guys who killed your parents."

She then helped Ethan hop down off the ambulance. Ethan then made his way over to Evelyn, Sarah, and Benny. The three looked at him, for the first time in about two hours, he was about to say something. But instead of words coming out, a sob came out, followed by tears. He immediately hugged Ms. Weir, crying into her shoulder. "He killed them, grandma! He should have killed _me_!" He wailed.

Grandma shh'ed him, rubbing his back; "No no, dear. Your parents would have thought differently Ethan. If someone in that house _had_ to die today. Your parents would have rather it'd been them instead of you and Jane." She said to him softly, kissing his head.

Benny and Sarah exchanged sad, tearful looks. They decided to walk over to the police car where Jane was standing with Rory, knowing that she was grieving the same. Sarah said softly, "This is wrong Benny, a real tragedy. If it weren't for the fact Jesse was already dead, I'd stake him myself!"

"Does it really matter? He's ruined their lives." Benny responded quietly. Both he and Sarah looked back to see Grandma still hugging a crying Ethan.

**End of chapter 17. Like Evelyn said, it gets worse; the higher vampires and spell masters are going to hear about this and someone **_**may**_** have to pay a price.**

**Sorry if this chapter wound up drifting into a **_**Law & Order **_**or **_**Criminal Minds**_** type thing, but the cops processing the Morgan home crime scene has to go with this, you'll see why in prob. the next chapter or Chapter 19.**

**Also, I'm working on re-writing my other MBAV fic; Clueless (going to be called "Clueless: The Final Chapters") so I can complete that story after 3-4 years might as well say. And with the success I've gotten with Tethered, I'm starting a new Bethan fic, "Reprise" (alternately titled: "Double Neagtive, Part II") - you can just guess what it's about - which the prologue is up and posted _NOW_, go check it out and see if you like it so far!**

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><p><strong>But I'll say this about chapter 18, the storm is a'comin'! I'll give a quick preview, but I don't want to spoil this one!<strong>

**Next, Ethan and the gang have been keeping their secrets for so long…**

The lead detective at the crime scene was on TV giving a press statement, "I don't know if a _vampire _did this but [...] I know this is a case of premeditated murder and I promise the victims, family, friends, and city this... we _will _find out who is responsible for this and bring justice swiftly."

**But what happens...**

Benny and Rory were standing in front of the TV, Benny then cut the TV off. "This is not good, Rory. Not good at all." Benny said nervously looking at Rory.

**When someone **_**else **_**finds out?**

A lab technician was ripping a print-out off of the printer, reading the DNA test results, making a gasping sound. "Oh my God." She then got out her cell phone and placed a call, "Hello? Yes [...] we need to convene a meeting, _today_!"

**But as for Ethan, right now it's all about answers.**

Ethan and Benny were sitting on Benny's bed as Ethan asked Benny out of curiosity, "Where _were_ you Benny, why'd you leave me?"

"Huh?" Benny asked dumbfounded.

Tears fell from Ethan's eyes as he yelled, "WHERE WERE YOU BENNY?!"

Benny kept opening his mouth, trying to answer, but couldn't form words.

**Please read, review, fave, and follow for the next installment of "Tethered"! Thank you all who've done so and hung in here with this crazy story so far. I love ya!**


	18. Underlying

**TETHERED**

**Don't kill me guys, I know I'm late posting, again. I'll try to keep it up regularly, if that is at all possible for me. **

Chapter 18: _Underlying_

About six in the evening is when everyone started to clear out in the neighborhood. The police had gathered all the evidence they could from the Morgan home and there was a tech outside going around the house with yellow crime scene tape and another placing an orange note on the door that read in big bold letter 'Whitechapel Police, Crime Scene. No Unauthorized Entry.' Along with information on the bottom if someone was to enter the home without permission, what kind of penalties they could face.

Erica watched from Ms. Weir's living room window, a van loading two body bags, Ross and Samantha Morgan's bodies, it read on the van 'Whitechapel Coroner's Office'. In thought of the Morgan's now deceased, Erica rubbed her eyes and placed her fingers on the bridge of her nose. She didn't really know Ethan's parents like Sarah, but she knew they were innocent and didn't deserve to die. Sarah walked up to Erica and put a comforting arm on her shoulder. "This is crazy, Sarah." Erica whispered.

"I wish we could turn back the clock and make sure we staked Jesse 20 times at that stupid school dance a year ago." Sarah responded coldly.

Erica nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Rory and Benny were standing in front of the TV, watching the six o'clock news. The Morgan's murder being the first story covered.

The blonde female news anchor starting, "Our top story tonight, _murder_ in Whitechapel?! WCIX broke this story first a five about a couple brutally killed in their home this afternoon by an unknown assailant in an apparent home invasion gone south. Hello, I'm Savannah Walgren; tonight, the victims were known local insurance adjuster, Ross Morgan and his wife Samantha; the couple had two children, neither of whom were home at the time of the attack."

Rory and Benny exchanged a glance at that, Benny recalling what Jane had told him. They then brought their attention back to the screen. Walgren continued, "On the scene for the past three hours was WCIX reporter Vance Munce, with eye or should I say, ear-witness accounts, Vance?"

Then the screen changed to a male reporter standing behind some crime scene tape and police cars, people in uniforms and wearing police badges and jackets walking back and forth behind him. Vance started, "Murder indeed Savannah, on top of day-to-day weirdness in crime in our sunny town, Whitechapel has now had its first double-homicide in two years, and it makes in the third homicide of this year. I spoke with ear-witnesses and got their accounts of what happened on this once bright afternoon. One man said this..."

Then one of the neighbors that lived one block over that Benny recognized showed up on screen, "I had just finished mowing my lawn this afternoon and I heard this bloodcurdling scream from in my garage. I looked around to see if anyone was running, I didn't see anyone. So I called police." The man was choking up, "I-I didn't know Ross and Sam that well, but they were good people... and their poor kids... who is _responsible _for this tragedy?! WHO COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN THIS TOWN?!" The man yelled angrily.

Vance continued, "I then spoke to the lead-detective on scene who gave me the following statement."

The detective who was at the crime scene the appeared on the TV, with a microphone up to his face, "Preliminary examination by the medical examiner says that this is a type of ritualistic/cult homicide that appear to grow in numbers by the day with the fascination of supernatural creatures like vampires, werewolves and wizards. The victims had two bite marks on their necks that suggest we are looking for a vampire. Although where the bizarre crimes go in this town, speculation of a supernatural being, being the culprit follows." The detective sighed, "I don't know if a _vampire _did this but I know _someone _wants us to think onedid, at this time, until test results come back on the saliva left on the victims neck, we are ruling out anything supernatural, this is a case of premeditated murder and I promise the victims, family, friends, and city this... we _will _find out who is responsible for this and bring justice swiftly."

"Well you heard it here first folks, this is Vance Munch from WCIX new, live from suburban Whitechapel. Back to you in the station, Savannah." Munce said exiting.

Savannah responded, "Thank you, Vance. Police are urging if you know anything about this murder or might have seen anything. Please call crime stoppers, 416-555-STOP, you could receive a cash reward and remain anonymous. And now for a quick peek at your weather-" Benny then cut the TV off.

"This is not good, Rory. Not good at all." Benny said nervously.

Rory shook his head, "I don't know Benny, I think Vance Munce did some excellent reporting there." Rory then looked to see Benny eyeing him sternly, "Oh," Rory then chuckled nervously, "You meant the part about the police investigation?" Rory then agreed with Benny quickly, "Yeah, this isn't good."

Evelyn then came off of the stairs, a down tone in her voice, "Well, I just got through speaking to Ross' brother, John, on the phone. He says they're going to come first thing in the morning and check on the kids... plus, visit the medical examiner and make funeral arrangements for, Ross."

"What about their mom?" Sarah asked.

Evelyn answered, "John's going to call Sam's parents. Whether your kids are eight or forty-eight, it's no phone call a parent wants to hear... or a call one wants to make."

Benny walked over to his grandmother, hugging her shoulder and placing his head on hers.

"How are they?" Rory asked her, motioning upstairs.

She sighed, "Well Jane is taking a nap upstairs in my room, I imagine the poor dear has had an exhausting day."

"And Ethan?" Sarah asked with unease in her tone.

Grandma Weir shook her head, "I checked on him, he's in Benny's room. He asked to be left alone for a while."

Silence then fell in the living room; Erica was the first to break the silence after a minute asking, "How did all of this happen in the first place?" Erica was pondering what would cause Jesse to kill Ethan's parents.

"Although you'd have to ask Ethan to confirm this, but I'm guessing this is Jesse's twisted way of revenge. We, or more so, Ethan, took something of his – the _cubile animus_ – so therefore in retaliation, Jesse decided to take something of Ethan's: his parents." Sarah answered. "It's why he's been acting strange all week; it's also how he got the bruises we've been seeing."

Rory pondered, "Do you think he had visions of all this?"

"It'd be crazy if he did, and didn't _say_ anything." Erica answered.

Sarah told them, "Even if he had visions, it wouldn't matter. Jesse probably blackmailed him or threatened to kill him, or us. He'd protect us first."

Benny stood there as the words 'he'd protect us' rang in his head, he flashed back to what he heard when he first stormed into the Morgan home to save him. Sarah looked to see Benny in a trance-like state; she snapped a finger, "Benny, you with us?"

"What, huh? Yeah." Benny said quickly, unsure really of what he was agreeing to.

Erica mocked him, "What, huh? Yeah. You zoned out! We were talking about Ethan's visions and if he might have had one."

"He didn't." Benny told them.

Erica asked him, "How can you be so sure?"

"His _parents_?! Really, Erica? I think he'd want us all to know so we can all protect them." Benny deduced.

Ethan was sitting upstairs on Benny's windowsill bed, hearing the conversation amongst his friends downstairs, while looking out the window at his house one block over. It wasn't just the fact his parents were now dead, but the manner in which they were killed. He kept seeing them dead on their living room floor, covered in blood, with fangs marks in their necks. "I'm sorry..." Ethan whispered, wiping a tear that threatened to fall from his eye, "I'm sorry that I couldn't... couldn't protect you."

A few hours later, Ethan's friends decided to go home for the night and come back tomorrow, leaving Benny with apologetic and sympathy messages for him to tell Ethan for them. Meanwhile Ms. Weir was just finishing up preparing a potion for Ethan to drink to heal him and help him sleep; she was stirring it in a pot on the stove.

Benny was sitting at the kitchen table behind her, sitting silently, deep in thought. Evelyn noticed this out of the corner of her eye, while still stirring with the wooden spoon, she said to him, "There was nothing you could have done differently, Benny... about any of it."

"I keep telling myself that, Gram. But I saw the signs, the bruises, Ethan's changes; I _knew something_ was wrong, and I didn't even _try _to figure out what exactly. I just assumed it was typical jock bullying... guess that's what I get for assuming." Benny explained to her.

Evelyn sighed, "It's _still not your fault_." She said powerfully, taking the pot and pouring its red contents into. "Here," she said motioning for Benny to take the glass, "Give this to Ethan, and make sure that he drinks it _all_." Benny nodded, took the glass from his grandmother and headed upstairs, regretting to.

Ethan was lying down upstairs at the foot of Benny's bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind continuously replaying the events of the past days. His emotions felt like a rollercoaster to him; fear, anger, grieving, hatred, confusion, lost and most of all, numbness.

Benny knocked on the door, although it was his bedroom, "Ethan? Can I come in?" Benny meekly asked. Benny waited and waited and didn't hear a response for Ethan before deciding to walk in.

Ethan had heard Benny, but he wanted to be left to his lonesome at that time, but he didn't want to stop Benny from entering his own room. He saw Benny out of the corner of his eye slowly and carefully walking in, carefully holding a glass with something in it. Ethan took a few sniffs and almost gagged, he had to bet it was something Ms. Weir whipped up for him. "Ethan?" Benny called to him, walking over to a lamp on his dresser, turning it on. Benny placed the glass containing the warm liquid on his dresser and sat down on the bed next to Ethan. "How are you doing, E?"

Ethan just stared at him with a blank expression.

"Stupid question, I know." Benny quickly replied.

Ethan interjected, "No, no; it's not a stupid question. I just can't answer it." He said lowly, "I don't really know how I feel right now."

Benny nodded in understanding, "Oh, grandma wants me to make sure you drink that, it's supposed to speed up your natural healing."

"The way it smells, it should do something." Ethan said, sitting up, eyeing the glass. He then fell silent, remembering whenever he got sick as a child, his parents used to bring him stuff to make him feel better. He took the glass and just stared at its contents, whispering, "I miss them, Benny."

Benny placed a comforting hand on Ethan's shoulder, "I know dude... and I'm sorry."

"I don't even remember the last time I told them I loved them." Ethan said softly.

Benny sighed, "E, they knew you loved them."

"Yeah, I know." Ethan sniffed, fighting back tears, "I just- I just never got to say goodbye, that's all." Benny just nodded in understanding. An awkward silence fell between the two boys which lasted until Ethan finally took a sip of the potion Evelyn made, making a 'gacking' sound after swallowing it. Benny tried his best not to smile but couldn't help but to. Ethan had a question for Benny, he didn't want to ask it, because he didn't blame Benny for what happened today, but he needed to know. "Benny?" Ethan started.

"Hmn?" Benny asked looking at his best friend; nothing could have prepared Benny for the question Ethan was about to ask.

Ethan asked Benny out of curiosity, "Where _were_ you Benny, why'd you leave me?"

"Huh?" Benny asked dumbfounded, if Ethan didn't ask so seriously, it would have been funny.

Ethan clarified further, "At school today. You were only supposed to be going to the bathroom."

"I'm sorry Ethan, I swear I was in-" Benny started.

Ethan talked over Benny, "Those _bastards _basically abducted me Benny! Robbie and the gang! They threw a bag over my head, threw me in a car, took me to the football field, and they tried to kill me!"

"Ethan, I just-" Benny tried to say, again being cut off by Ethan who seemed to be getting more and more steamed by the minute.

Ethan continued, "While some monsters tried to kill me, another monster showed up and abducted me from _them_! Before I blacked out, I saw Jesse standing there, standing there with that smug look on his face." Tears fell from Ethan's eyes as he yelled, "WHERE WERE YOU BENNY?!"

Benny just stared at Ethan, a pained expression on his face, he was speechless. When he tried to answer, he opened his mouth before closing his mouth back and exhaling.

"Why didn't you save me, Benny?" Ethan asked, looking away from Benny, letting the tears fall freely.

Benny put his hand on his friend's back, Ethan flinching away from it though. "Ethan I _am_ sorry. I am! I didn't know. I mean, I know you were saying the jocks were giving you weird looks; it didn't dawn on me that they were pissed off about me using my magic to help you and the geeks win that _stupid_ dodge ball game. I just wanted to see you smile for once today."

Ethan looked back at Benny sharply, "Yeah and now, thanks to _you_, I'm in mourning over my dead parents! If you hadn't been casting spells and would have stayed with me, then I wouldn't have had that run-in with those jerks, and Jesse might not have took off with me and killed my parents while I was unconscious! At least if I was awake, I could have stopped him!"

"You don't know that Ethan!" Benny snapped back, "Or did you?!"

Ethan scoffed, "What do you _mean_?"

"How do we know you didn't have a vision of this?!" Benny asked him, "I told the guys you would have told us if you had a vision about all of this... but I do wonder."

Ethan shook his head at Benny's accusation, "Really Benny? You think if I had a vision about my parents being dead I wouldn't say anything?" Benny just stared at Ethan; he didn't know how to answer. Benny's head was telling him Ethan was hiding something, but his heart was saying Ethan would have been straightforward about something so serious. Ethan continued, "These _stupid_ visions. They can show me everything else, but they can't show myself being raped by a vampire or that same vampire killing my parents." Ethan said lowly, "It wouldn't matter if I did see any of it though. It's not like I could have stopped any of this, who am I kidding? I've got to be the worst and most pathetic seer ever." Ethan grumbled, lying back on Benny's bed, covering his face with his hands.

Benny took Ethan's hands from his face, "You're _not_ pathetic, E. And it's not like you have any control over what you see and when you see it." Benny paused before adding sadly, "It's my fault anyway, if I hadn't been Della-chasing from the jump, none of this would have happened. I don't blame you for hating me right now, you should."

Ethan had then realized what Benny just said, "Wait, no, Benny. I don't hate you, it's just... you weren't there when I really needed you, that's all. Perhaps I went too far placing the blame on you. Besides, _Jesse_ was hell-bent on revenge, he would have found _some way_ to get to me or my folks or he would have gone after you and the others." Silence fell between them again, but neither took their eyes off the other. "I'm sorry." Ethan whispered, "I don't know where all that just came from, I just-"

Ethan and Benny moved in closer and closer to each other, both with a look of nervousness on their faces, but also anxious. Benny then abruptly started talking, not wanting what could have happened next to happen, "Ethan, you've got to drink that." Benny then pointed at the glass in Ethan's hands, "If it gets cold it won't be as strong."

Ethan was still staring at Benny until it finally registered in his head that he had just said something, "Huh?" Ethan then looked down at the glass, "I don't want to."

"But it'll make you feel better." Benny told him, encouraging him to drink it.

Ethan snapped back, "It stinks, and tastes _worse _than it smells!"

"Well, just hold your nose and chug it." Benny recommended, "Take it from someone who has drank grandma's potions for _years_!"

Ethan took Benny's advice, he held his nose, slowly brought the glass to his lips before finally tilting his head back some and forcing it down. A huge smile grew on Benny's face when he saw the twisted-face look Ethan had on his face. "Dude, this is so gross!" Ethan said, handing off the empty glass to Benny.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on this late night, at the Whitechapel Police Department Crime Lab; there was a female technician, examining and testing DNA evidence that was found at the Morgan home, more specifically, the DNA left on the Morgan's necks. She was typing on one of the many computers in the lab, when one of the others started beeping and printed something out.

She ripped the print-out off of the printer and read the results, making a gasping sound. "Oh my God." She then got out her cell phone and placed a call, "Hello? Yes... I know this is a late hour, but we need to convene a meeting, _today_!" A male voice asked loudly "Why?!" She looked at the print out one more time, "You know the Morgan double-homicide today, with the fang marks? It's confirmed, one of ours was involved."

She then looked at a folder where pictures of Ross and Samantha dead were, she looked at the fang marks on their necks.

**End of chapter 18. Yeah y'all, yeah! WOOOOOOOOO! Boy there is trouble in the land. **

**Ethan's emotions are all over the place, anger and confusion is where he is now (mixed with grieving and shame). Remember how I said all of this would blow-back? Ethan's angry because the very person who's vowed to protect has yet to do so and confused because he seems to be falling in love with that very same person. **

**But now, Benny knows some of what's been going through Ethan's head now. I think this is the point in the story everyone has been waiting for, Ethan's journey back into normalcy, or about as normal as it could get for him. Of course, through out of the remainder of the story he won't be the same as he was in say, chapter 1.**

**At about chapter 20 onward, I'd like to go back into the MBAV-style format of writing for this story. But there is more drama that needs to be uncovered first. Enter vampire/spell master councils next chapters - exit, the "Jesse" Saga. Starting with CH. 20, I'd like to start shifting the focus off of Jesse directly and what he's done; and onto Benny and Ethan or more specifically, Bethan.**


	19. Secrets

**TETHERED **

**Thank you all for your kind reviews, those of you who **_**do **_**review! Hello to everyone else closing out the screen BEFORE reviewing, YES, I'm talking to **_**you**_** (just kidding… well not really but sort of, I guess)!**

**Happy Halloween! Sorry it's been sooo long since I last updated at least ONE of my stories. But on a more positive note it's been October/Monstober and the show is on Disney Channel again! I haven't seen it since the finale in 2012! People still say Fresh Television is bring the show back or doing a 2****nd**** movie, but WHEN?! WHEN?!**

**Let me reply to my reviewers before I go off on a rant about how the show was did wrong by the Canadian's Teletoon network.**

**Orionastro: **They know that they love each other, but like any couple there is always a 'but' somewhere that keeps them from expressing their feelings. My fear, they won't express their feelings for each other until it's too late!

**TeamEthanMorgan: **Get out of that corner! I've updated (I'm going to try to do better about that). The police play a crucial part in this but I'd worry more about the Vampire Council... they are not pleased.

**MBAV fan: **Benny's played a HUGE part in this story since the first chapter. And these next chapters, that part just keeps getting bigger. The councils are just the beginning... maybe the beginning of the end. DUN DUN DUNNNNN!

**Autumrose: **Hmm, keep up! You never know when you'll be quizzed!

Chapter 19: _Secrets_

_It was a dark, stormy night in Whitechapel and Ethan was covered in blood in his backyard and he was holding a bloody stake, but he didn't know why. He looked around on the ground and he saw a gruesome sight. _

_Jesse stood on the branch of the huge oak tree, "You killed them you know." He said snidely. Ethan ignored the vampire in the trees and continued looking on the ground, at his feet were his dead parents, as he remembered them in his living room. Fangs marks in their necks, blood on their bodies. Jesse was still in the tree, but laughing this time, "You are so pathetic." The powerful vampire said floating down to him; "They aren't the only ones you killed."_

"_You mean the ones _you _killed!" Ethan snapped back at him._

_Jesse shrugged, "Me, you, same difference. One way or another, it's still _your _fault your mommy and daddy are _dead._"_

"_Shut up." Ethan told him, gripping the stake in his hand, his knuckles turning white._

_Jesse saw this and grinned, his fangs out the corners of his mouth, "Go ahead, use it. I _dare _you."_

_Ethan launched himself at the vampire, intent on not letting him get away. He forced the stake through Jesse but as he did, it disintegrated, "What the-?" Ethan noticing the ash on the ground, it was supposed to turn Jesse into ash, not itself. Ethan's hand was harshly gripped by Jesse's, Ethan had a cowardly look on his face that greatly pleased Jesse, who pulled him in the house. _

_Ethan saw plies of ash on the ground, along with articles of clothing that he seemed to recognize, Ethan made a weak sound. "You killed _them_ too." Jesse said, still holding Ethan. Ethan saw that Rory's light blue jacket was around a pile of ash. Erica's purse was around another pile and Sarah's jewelry around a third pile. "Staked your own friends, the people who would have protected you no matter what."_

_Ethan began to cry right there, "NO!" Ethan tried to pull away from Jesse "Let me go you bastard! I didn't do this, I would _never _do this!" _

"_Hang on _E, _there is one more person who you need to see." Jesse pulled Ethan upstairs to his room. They stopped at the door, "Go on in."_

_Outside there was a loud crack of thunder and bright lightening flashes. Ethan fearfully pushed the door open to see Benny on the floor of his room, writhing in pain. "No, Benny!" Ethan ran to his friend's side to stop the blood that was pooling from his neck._

"_E." Benny said to his friend weakly and yet relieved._

_Ethan grabbed Benny's hand and begged him to hold on. "Benny please, don't leave me!"_

"_I-I tried to save you, I want-wanted t-to protect, y-you. I-I failed. I'm sorry." Benny said weakly._

_Ethan whispered to him, tears falling onto Benny, "No, you didn't fail. _I'm_ the one who should be sorry! You were just trying to help!"_

"_My help, m-made t-things w-worse for y-you. N-now, you belong to, _him_." Benny said weakly pointing a blood finger at Jesse who now clearly had blood on his fangs. Ethan gasped, "I-I love you, Ethan." Benny said, spitting blood out of his mouth and his breathing becoming ragged and slowing._

_Ethan yelled to him, "I love you too, Benny! I'm sorry I never told you! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE!" Benny then fell quiet, the light immediately going out of his eyes._

_Jesse was laughing evilly as he pulled Ethan off of the ground and drug him behind him. Ethan trying to fight to get away from him. "BENNY! I'M SORRY BENNY!"_

_A voice then called Ethan's name, "Ethan."_

"_BENNY PLEASE, DON'T DIE!"_

_The voice called again, "Ethan."_

_Jesse was still pulling Ethan out of the room, Ethan looking back at Benny's dead form on the floor of his room, hoping his friend would spring into action and save him, "COME BACK! COME BACK!"_

"Ethan. Ethan!" The voice snapped.

Ethan shot up in bed screaming at the top of his lungs, he then stopped breathing heavily, in surprise when he realized he was in bed, not covered in blood and saw Benny was holding him, concern in the spell caster's eyes.

Benny's door then burst open, his grandmother and Jane standing at the door, worried looks on their faces. Evelyn asked much concern heard in her voice, "What happened? Are you two okay?!"

"It's... fine." Ethan answered, "Just a bad dream, nothing to worry about." Ethan said, trying to shrug it off as no big deal. Benny caught this and he knew Ethan was trying to make nothing out of something.

Evelyn simply was nodding; Jane commented "Well that scream sounded like something to worry about." Benny smiled inwardly, seeing Jane was thinking the same thing he was.

"I'm fine, I promise." Ethan said with a sigh.

Thunder loudly sounded outside with a harsh rain. No one in the room truly believed Ethan, but they decided not to press at that late hour, especially in light of recent events. "Well Ethan dear, if you need _anything_, _please_ do not hesitate to ask." Ms. Weir told him. She then looked to Benny and saw the sheets and pillow that was on his floor, she then deduced Benny was on the floor when Ethan started his noises.

"Thank you grandma, I will." Ethan said faking a smile to reassure her, Ethan could feel Benny's disbelieving eyes on him.

Evelyn then looked down at a tired Jane, "Come darling, let's get you back to bed." She said ushering Jane back to the room down the hall, "Goodnight boys. Sweet dreams." She said walking away, deep down, she knew Ethan wasn't being truthful. No one wakes up at 3AM, screaming at the top of their lungs unless something scared the bejeebers out of them.

Benny closed his bedroom door behind his grandma and Jane. Other than the rain outside, it was quiet in the room, the entire house. Benny turned to Ethan who had a look of fear in his eyes as if he'd just seen a ghost. Benny knew he couldn't push too hard with Ethan or he'd close himself off and not tell what was truly disturbing him; but Benny also had to be firm. "Okay E, spill." Benny said sitting on his bed next to his friend who was drenched in his own sweat.

"Spill, s-spill what?" Ethan asked Benny nervously, combing loose hairs out of his face with his fingers. He didn't know why he was even surprised that Benny was about to ask.

Benny sighed inwardly; he knew Ethan was going to be this way. "Ethan come on, with that scream, we both know you had a nightmare about something. Likely it involved Jesse and what he's done to you and your family. I'm pretty sure I'm close if not right on it, right?" Benny asked him, wrapping a comforting arm around Ethan's shoulders. Benny then told him, "You were screaming, 'please don't, I'm sorry, come back.' I can only assume it was about them."

Ethan shrank at the touch; he stared at Benny's eyes, the same caring green eyes he's found himself staring into the past week. Ethan then realized something and looked away, stating softly, "I don't want to talk about it."

Benny felt when Ethan shrank, little did Ethan know, Benny had figured out what Ethan's nightmare was. But what he couldn't understand was why Ethan wouldn't talk about it; he guessed that maybe it was too painful for him to talk about this so soon. But deep down, Benny knew that Ethan was holding something back. Benny could tell with Ethan's stares, behind his big doe eyes, there was something he had to say.

"I'm sorry." Ethan whispered.

Benny shook his head, "Forget about it E, after the ordeal you've been through. If you _didn't _wake up screaming in the middle of the night, I'd be surprised."

"No, not only that," Ethan added, "For earlier too. I shouldn't have taken my anger and frustrations out on you."

Benny shook his head, "Forget about that too Ethan, I did." Silence fell between the two as Benny told him, "You really did do all you could, you know."

Ethan looked to Benny before slowly nodding, "My heart keeps saying that, but my head says different." Ethan told him.

"Ethan, no. You can spin it anyway you want, either way, Jesse would have killed _someone_." Benny told him.

Ethan gasped, shocked at what Benny had just said, or more so, in the tone he said it in "So you mean, rather my parents have to die than anyone else?!"

"What?! No!" Benny snapped, calming himself, "That's not what I meant Ethan. I would have preferred if _no one_ had to die, other than Jesse."

Ethan disagreed with Benny, tearing up on the verge of sobbing, "All of this could have been avoided... if... if I hadn't kept what he did to me, a secret."

"E, come on; he was _threatening _you, and all of us bodily harm." Benny then said emphasizing, "You did, everything that you could have." Ethan sat there silent, shaking his head. Benny decided to give up for now. "Ethan, you should try to get some rest." Benny said lightly pushing his friend back down into bed.

As Benny said 'rest' that nightmare he had kept appearing in his head, as well as seeing his parents' dead forms. "We both know I'm not going to get any sleep, Benny."

"You'll be fine E, nothing's going to happen to you, or anyone else." Benny reassured him. Ethan then recalled his vision of seeing Benny on the ground.

Ethan looked at Benny, thinking, "_I'm not so sure about that, B._" Benny got up and turned the lights off in the room, and proceeded to get back onto his bedding on the floor. Before he did, Ethan called to him, "Benny?" Benny simply looked at Ethan, Benny could hear some unsurely in his tone when he called to him, Benny wondered why. "Could you… if you don't mind… just long enough for me to fall asleep?" Ethan stuttered out.

Benny inwardly smiled, now confirmed for him why Ethan sounded the way he did. "Sure E, say no more." Benny took his pillows and tossed them on the bed next to Ethan, then hopping in bed next to him.

"Thanks B," Ethan said timidly, turning in bed to face Benny, almost blushing, adding, "Besides, this is _your_ bed anyway. You shouldn't be sleeping on the floor at your house."

Benny agreed, "You're right, and I let you sleep in my bed and I _chose_ the floor."

The word 'floor' sparked a flashback in Ethan's mind, the bloody floor of his living room and his seeing his dead parents lying in a pool of their own blood. The words Jesse spoke in his nightmare echoing in his head, "_You killed them you know… it's still _your _fault your mommy and daddy are _dead!" After a moment of silence, Ethan drew a sharp breath which Benny heard.

Benny wrapped his arm around Ethan, "You know it's going to be okay, right E?" Ethan only simply nodded. Benny then asked him, "You're not sure, but you're nodding anyway, right?" Ethan only simply nodded again. "Figured as much." Benny said.

Silence fell between the two and Ethan eventually fell asleep. Benny noticed Ethan was making whining sounds in his sleep; he simply pulled Ethan to him, knowing it'd be the one surefire thing to give Ethan a peaceful sleep.

Benny had one arm wrapped around Ethan while he stroked loose hairs out of his friend's face, "I'm so sorry, about _everything_ Ethan. I'm going to make things better for you. I promise."

**10:30 AM**

Ethan and Jane were sitting together on the couch in Ms. Weir's living room, in silence. The two siblings were replaying the previous day's events in their minds. Evelyn and Benny stood in the kitchen watching the two, Benny asking, "When are their aunt and uncle coming?"

"They should be here later." His grandma simply answered. They then heard the doorbell, Evelyn looked at the clock on the wall, "Or now." The doorbell then rang repeatedly.

Benny quickly went to get the door, he opened it to see a frantic blond vampire at the door "Rory, jeez, tear up the doorbell and grandma will replace it with _you_!"

"Benny, look at this!" Rory yelled pulling a letter out of his jacket pocket, waving it Benny's face frantically.

Benny snatched the letter from Rory, "Get in here Rory!" Benny rushed the letter open, quickly reading it to himself silently. His mouth then agape.

Ms. Weir asked, "What is it dear?" Benny simply handed his grandmother and sat down in a chair as she read it, "Dear me, the vampire council wants a_ll_ of your attendance at an urgent meeting today, in two hours!"

"Screw them, I'm not going." Ethan said lowly, a look of shock coming from everyone in the room that was stunned at what Ethan had spoke.

Rory told him something else the letter said of attendance, "It's not optional Ethan. The vampire council said in the summons, 'attendance required, failure to appear, consequences _will be dire_'"

"What do they want?" Benny asked in frustration, "They don't have a case! If anything _we _should be summoning _them_!"

Evelyn wasn't at all shocked by the events that were unfolding, "I _warned _you about this, Benny."

"What do we do?" Rory asked.

Evelyn answered, staring at Benny, "You kids are just going to have to go. See what they have to say, and hope they don't kill you all on the spot."

Benny gulped as she said that.

"Meanwhile, I need to call some contacts in our community and hope our committee isn't planning any kind of action as well."

**Outside the council grounds**

Rory was sitting on the steps, twiddling his thumbs. Erica and Sarah had joined them, Erica was texting a guy she had been talking to, telling him she see him in a day or so. Sarah and Benny stood to the side of the building, watching Ethan, who was sitting under a tree, simply staring at the cars that were passing by on the highway.

"How'd it go after we left last night?" Sarah asked Benny.

Benny sighed, shaking his head, "Not good, Sarah. He had a nightmare about Jesse in the middle of the night, but he wouldn't exactly come clean about it. It was horrible how he screamed in his sleep, Sarah."

"Poor Ethan." Sarah said, her tone shaky.

Benny could hear the emotions Sarah was feeling just in the way she was talking. "How are you holding up?" Benny asked, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Me. I'm fine. I just… I'm just lost really. While grieving over the Morgan's, I'm still trying to figure out why Jesse felt he had to do all of this." Sarah answered, wiping a tear that threatened to fall. "I can understand him wanting revenge, but he should have just come after me. _I'm_ the one who got all this started from the jump. Ethan just wanted to protect me." Benny nodded in with what Sarah had said.

She then wryly chuckled, "It's funny. All Ethan wanted to do was protect all of us, but none of us protected _him_ through all this."

"Well Sarah it's not from lack of trying." Benny told her, "None of us are mind readers; we all assumed Ethan was just being bulled at school at first. Nobody was expecting Jesse to come back to town hell-bent on destroying Ethan. I honestly don't think even Ethan saw it coming."

Benny then looked over at Ethan, "And E, I _know _he's beating himself up left-and-right. I've been telling him it's not his fault. But I think E's going to have to come to that realization on his own."

"And these jerks in here, I'm going to give Anastasia a piece of my mind. You can't tell me for one minute that the vampire council didn't realize Jesse was planning this." Sarah said, anger very clear in her voice.

Ethan was sitting under the tree, but he was watching across the street, he was staring at a couple that was sitting outside at a table at the restaurant down the street. He stared at the intently, they reminded him of someone, "Mom, Dad." Ethan whispered, getting up off the ground and proceeding to walk across the street in a daze.

The traffic was at a standstill because the traffic light at the intersection up the street was on red, but it had just changed as Ethan walked to the street.

Sarah saw Ethan moving out the corner of her eye, "Oh God, Benny look! ETHAN!" Benny's head jerked to the street and his eyes bulged as he saw his best friend about to walk directly into oncoming traffic.

"ETHAN STOP!" Benny yelled as he and Sarah ran after him. The horn of a truck blared as it's driver saw that Ethan was about to disregard him coming and cross the street anyway. Sarah used her vampire speed to pull him back, both she and Benny holding him, on the edge of the sidewalk, just inches away from the busy street.

Benny and Sarah held Ethan as he snapped back into reality. "Ethan, what happened, what did you see, what were you trying to do?!" Sarah asked him frantically. She and Benny continued to hold him; Rory and Erica by then were running up to see what was happening but stood back.

Ethan looked back across the street to see the couple getting ready to leave. He got a better look at them and realized they weren't really his parents, they just looked like them. Tears began forming in his eyes as he weakly whispered in anguish, "Mommy."

They heard it and Sarah slowly let go of Ethan. Benny continued to hold Ethan until Ethan basically forced a hug out of Benny. Benny held Ethan, rubbing his back, trying to comfort him. Benny looked over to Sarah as they both shared the same concerned facial expression.

**End of chapter 19. Ethan's got the feels for Benny! It's there, it's been there, the problem is now, on top of everything that's going on, and his feelings for Benny are just stacked on the pile! **

**Ethan's is obviously OOC from the way he's portrayed in the series; but what I've made him endure, I'm sure he wouldn't be the same. **

**Chapter 20, or the end of chapter 20 – next chapter – I promise you, I'm going to make heads will ROLL! Also I'm trying to involve Evelyn a little more now that the Morgan kids are under her roof, for now. **

**I keep promising to update "Clueless" But I'm juggling three stories; my primary focus is on "Tethered," I want to roll out a new story for my other ideas ("Reprise" starring Evil Benny) plus I want to close out "Clueless" I want you guys to know these aren't empty promises, I plan to deliver, I just don't know when.**


	20. Accountability

**TETHERED**

**PLEASE BE ADVISED: Because this chapter will have some very intense and gory moments; please read at your discretion.**

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><p>Reply time!<p>

**Bethan Forever: **I'm deeply sorry for your loss, my condolences. I know how it feels to lose a grandparent. Believe me, I know about how life gets shitty sometimes. Thank you for reviewing. It all boils over THIS chapter!

**Xx-Beautiful-Chaos-xX: **Thank you, I'm STILL trying to close out CLUELESS and get REPRISE off and running!

**MBAV fan & TeamEthanMorgan: **Well below is a chapter that is probably about to blow minds!

**Autumrose: **Oh he is and what happens in the chapter below doesn't help him much at all!

**KC:** I'm glad you like it! It's not over yet!

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><p><strong>PLEASE BE ADVISED: Because this chapter will have some very intense and gory moments; please read at your discretion.<strong>

Chapter 20: _Accountability_

**An hour later**

Ethan woke up on a hard surface; he didn't know what it was at first though. He rubbed his eyes to clear them and when they came into focus he saw two figures standing over him, staring at him intently. He then saw they were vampires and that he was lying on a bench in the council. He jumped up with a "Gah!" He then collided with someone else who wrapped their arms around him, "Wait, don't eat me!" Ethan yelled trying to free himself from whomever wrapped their arms around him.

It was Benny, "Ethan, calm down, it's me! I don't want to eat you." Benny reassured him, then looking at the vampires that were watching Ethan as he was unconscious, "_Them_, I'm not so sure about." Benny then let go of Ethan.

"Wh-what happened?" Ethan asked, holding his head in confusion.

Sarah chimed in from behind one of the vampires, "That's what _we _should be asking _you_!"

"You were about to walk into oncoming traffic, Ethan." Benny said softly, "You could have gotten yourself hurt, or even killed… unless that's what you wanted to do." Benny said flatly, his green eyes staring intently into Ethan's brown ones.

Ethan's eyes bulged at his friend's suggestion that he was trying to commit suicide. "As much as I'm sure I'd make the pain go away, it wasn't what I was trying to do."

His answer made Benny and Sarah uncomfortable; silence fell between them as Rory and Erica who were across the chimed in. "Well, _why_ were you trying to cross the street? What over there would just make you blindly walk through traffic?" Erica asked with true concern in her tone.

"One of the couples," Ethan began to explain, "At that restaurant. They reminded me of my parents." He saw his friends' silence, "Silly I know, it's just -."

Benny placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder, "No, it's not silly."

One of the vampires came into the room, loudly knocking on the wall to get their attention, "We are _ready _to start this meeting." The vampire said annoyed, he then stormed back out.

"I just have a feeling _nothing_ good will come out of this." Sarah whispered to Benny and Ethan, they all following out the annoyed vampire, the two vampires that were watching Ethan while he was unconscious following behind them. Sarah turned around to see them, and saw the looks on their faces, the hungry look. "Guys, he's fine now. _We'll _take it from here!" She snapped, hissing, fangs showing.

The two guys simply snarled before walking in another direction.

The three then walked into the next room to join Rory and Erica, along with the rest of the council members.

"We have called you all here to discuss, this." A tall vampire said, grabbing a newspaper off of the table, "The Bystander's front page; '_Dusk_-Style Killing in Whitechapel'."

Erica grabbed the newspaper from him. The others crowding around her to see Ethan's father's neck with a pair of fang marks on his neck, printed on the front page of the paper.

"What does this have to do with us?" Sarah asked him annoyed, "And where is Anastasia, shouldn't _she _be asking us about this?"

He answered, "She is on leave. She has been running this council for 250 years without a break. It's time she took one. I am in charge in her place until she returns."

"And _who_ are you exactly?" Rory asked.

The man simply answered with his long and sharp fangs in the corners of his mouth, "I am Artemis, Anastasia's father."

The word 'father' echoed throughout the chambers as an eerie silence fell in the room.

"What is your reasoning for summoning us?" Sarah asked him.

Artemis answered, "Deciding whether or not to discipline, you three." He then pointed to Sarah, Erica, and Rory. "You three knew _months_ in advance that a vampire with a blood-thirsty love of power had gone rouge in Whitechapel and you did _nothing_ to stop him, you went about your lives as if you had _never_ crossed paths with him."

Benny chimed in, "You know _you_ guys are the ones that let that, that _psycho_ run loose! The blood that he's shed… and likely drank is on _your _hands."

"All non-vampires will be quiet during these proceedings; otherwise, there will be _dire _consequences!" Artemis snapped, slamming his hand on the table.

Benny gulped loudly; he and Ethan both had nervous expressions on their faces.

"As I was saying," Artemis resumed, giving Ethan and Benny stern looks, "With this hitting the local news, it must be eradicated _immediately_."

Just then a woman stepped in, wearing a blue jacket that had an emblem on it; it read Whitechapel Police Department Crime Lab. "I reran the DNA samples given to me yesterday to determine was it truly from a vampire; I was hoping that the initial results were false… they weren't."

"So you see the dilemma, children?" Artemis asked them, the five looking at the brunette-haired woman holding a file folder.

Rory in amazement commented, "A vampire in the crime lab?! I did not see this coming!"

"You would be surprised on how many supernatural beings are running around this town masquerading as ordinary humans with ordinary occupations." Artemis noted, then realizing something about the children in the room. "Well, you five are the exception. You've seen a great deal already."

Sarah then realized why the council called their meeting, "You didn't call us down here to punish us for anything, you called us here to help you cover this up!"

"Precisely." Artemis answered, "This town is already on edge with this strange out of the ordinary murder; the local media has already ran with the idea a vampire killed that one's parents... which I am truly sorry for your loss." He said looking to Ethan, who just continued to stare intently. "Imagine if this town was to learn this was all true?"

"They'd seek to burn at the stake everyone they'd think is some kind of supernatural creature - whether they truly are one or not." Benny said in a monotone.

"It would be disastrous." Artemis noted.

Erica agreed, "Listen, we'll do what we can to help keep this under wraps, but in the meantime, what will _you _be doing?" Erica then looked over to the vampire from the crime lab.

"_I_ will ensure that my final results conclude the DNA found on his parents was from a human malefactor and urge the police department to continue their search for human male suspects." She answered.

Sarah asked, "And let me guess, some poor sap is going to have to be a fall guy and go to jail for Mr. and Mrs. Morgan's murders?"

"If there was any other way." Artemis started, "I wish you children would have come to us sooner, we-"

Benny snapped, "Come to you?! You guys _already_ knew!"

"WHAT DID I JUST GET THROUGH SAYING?!" Artemis yelled standing.

Benny yelled back, shocking everyone in the room, "Come on admit it! You're passing the buck and looking for an excuse to persecute someone! You should persecute yourself; you guys in this stupid council let him run loose for over a hundred years! If he hadn't escaped us, we have vanquished him _for good_! Which _I_ did yesterday, but not after he managed to rape Ethan and kill his parents!"

"He did what?!" Erica and Rory both yelled in shock, mouths agape, they then looked to Ethan to see if it were true.

Ethan stood there with a blank expression.

"Uh-oh." Benny said flatly, knowing he'd likely just crushed his best friend in the worse possible way.

But what really shocked the teens in what Artemis responded so coolly with, "We know of what Mr. Black has done. It is why we wanted him to be stopped LONG before NOW!"

All five teenagers looked to the current temporary head of the vampire council with bulged eyes.

"So in the long run, my parents had to _die_ because of _your_ incompetence?" Ethan asked him coldly; sending a chill up the spine to everyone in the room. Ethan walked up to the table, inches from Artemis's face.

Sarah lightly smacked Ethan on the arm in warning, "Ethan!"

"Yes _Ethan, _you call _me _incompetent, but how come you allowed him to do such brutal things to you. Anastasia speaks highly of the things you have done, how could _you_ allow this?!" Artemis snapped, his temper flaring and his fangs extending. "If you ask me, _you _are the one incompetent."

Ethan then made a move as if he were about to punch Artemis square in the face, it missed as he used his vampire speed to jump back quickly. "THAT IS IT! I HAVE HAD IT WITH THESE CHILDREN! GUARDS! SHOW THESE KIDS TO THE DOOR!" Artemis snatched Ethan up, and dangled him in the air by his shirt, "Starting with _this one_!"

Two vampires then carried Ethan out, Ethan protesting the entire way out of the doors.

"I assume the rest of you would like to walk out?" Artemis asked, folding his arms.

Rory yelled elatedly, "Ooh! I'd like to be carried out!" Both Sarah and Erica smacked him harshly on his arms, "Ow! I'll walk." Erica almost literally dragged Rory outside. "Okay, okay I'm coming!" Rory said, hoping she'd loosen her grip.

Sarah was looking at Artemis with a cruel look, shaking her head in disappointment at someone who at one point was the leader of the vampires, although now just temporarily. Artemis said to her more calmly, "You all brought all this turmoil amongst yourselves."

"So Ethan asked to be raped and for his parents to be killed, huh?" Benny asked him, Benny almost snarling. Sarah put an arm on his shoulder to calm him, although she agreed with his question to their temporary leader.

Artemis shook his head, "Look, that is not what I meant. I am simply saying; your delay in alerting us caused this."

"Let's get out of here before we do something we regret." Sarah asked of Benny, disgust evident in her tone, she was pulling him away from the current vampire leader; Benny was just staring daggers at him as Sarah almost literally had to drag him out of the council.

Meanwhile outside, Erica and Rory were in shock at what they had learned that occurred to Ethan that past week. Ethan was sitting on the steps and felt his friends staring at him, he sighed and looked at them with a smile, something he hadn't done in days, "I'm fine. It's okay guys, really."

"No, dude it's _not okay_. It's not okay at all." Rory said in a heartbreaking tone, sitting next to Ethan on the steps, placing a comforting arm around him.

Erica, still in shock about what she had just learned quietly asked, "When?"

"End of last week." Simply answered, Ethan looking away from her.

Erica sighed; she knew that was the time when Sarah told her he had been acting strange. She had just brushed it off. Although they are closer than they once were; to Erica, Ethan was still just the geek from school that hung around with her best friend, maybe more than she. But she had a soft spot for him since he did care about Sarah, enough to want to completely focus himself to finding a cure for vampirism for her. Despite being a geek, and still human, Ethan was okay in her book, although she wouldn't swear to it if her life depended on it, nor would she admit it in front of classmates, she might would even call Ethan, a friend.

And she looked down to see her friend hurting, as much as she knew he was trying to hide it from them still. She knew that he was, being taken advantage of by Jesse was one thing, but killing his parents on top of that; it was overkill, almost literally. Although Jesse was gone, she wished she could have been the one to have done him in for all he's done, not just to Ethan and his parents, but for Sarah as well, Erica loved the vampire life; however, she knew Sarah, just wanted a normal, human life. Although now Sarah has adapted to the vampire culture, Erica knows deep down, she doesn't want to be a vampire.

Erica then leaned down, engulfed Ethan in a hug and quickly kissed Ethan on the cheek, whispering, "I'm sorry." Ethan and Erica stared at each other's eyes, as if they were talking through them.

Rory sat there mouth agape and eyes bulged then asking in a whinny tone, "No fair, what about _me_?"

"What about _you_?!" Erica snapped back, hissing with her fangs showing.

Rory jumped back in fear, a chill going up his spine. "N-nothing, nothing at all!"

They then heard a door opening and shuffling. They looked to see Sarah pulling Benny out of the council hall. "Benny, come on, _let it go_!"

"I can't! I should have turned that prick into a frog, took him home and dissected him!" Benny snapped, wanting to go back in and give the pro tem vampire leader what for.

Sarah scolded, "And he would have hurt you, used your powers against you, and had you thrown in the dungeon before you could even raise your hand." Benny still stared at her intently; she whispered to him, "You wouldn't want that to happen." Sarah motioned her head for him to look at Ethan, "Especially for him, he's already lost enough people in his life that he cares about." She whispered, "He's barely hanging on by a thread with his parents gone. If something were to happen to you, I think he'd lose it for sure."

Benny hadn't thought about it that way, but he felt guilty, if not responsible for what happened to Ethan.

"Uh guys?" Rory asked nervously, Sarah and Erica looked at him, Rory stepped away from where Ethan had previously been sitting, revealing an empty spot, "W-where's Ethan?"

Sarah frowned, "He was just-" She turned around to look for Ethan, but saw Benny was gone too. "Benny!"

"Now where'd those two run off to?!" Erica asked, hopefulness in her tone more so than frustration.

Rory added, "I don't think they ran."

"It's like they just disappeared, literally." Sarah said feeling the air in the spot where Benny had been previously standing. "Benny! Ethan!" She shouted their names and heard nothing.

Rory said nervously, watching their surroundings "O-okay, this is a l-little scary."

"I think we need to get back to Grandma Weir's and find out what's going on before we _all _disappear." Sarah deduced.

**Weir Residence**

It was a dark room and all Benny heard was scared breathing, but he realized that he was sitting and holding something, or someone, he couldn't tell who, but they were clutching him as if their life depended on it. He deduced it could only be one person, "Ethan?" He called.

"B-benny, what is this?" Ethan whispered.

Benny had no idea actually, the last thing he remembered was talking to Sarah in front of the vampire council's location before it all went black. "I-I honestly don't know, E."

Before they could do anything, there was a huge burst of light before six unidentified people walked out of Benny's kitchen; dressed fairly nice, in their Sunday's bests, but the problem, it wasn't Sunday. His grandmother was one of the six who came out of the kitchen, and she didn't look pleased, she looked terrified and if she had just landed in hot water. Ethan and Benny were sitting on the couch, Ethan released himself from Benny.

They were in their living room which was swirling about in a rainbow of colors. It was beautiful, but at the same time, it held a certain eeriness to it. They all went and sat at a long wooden table that Benny didn't recall his grandmother had; his grandmother was sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room, a worried look on her face.

"Benjamin Weir." Man #1 called out. Benny simply gulped. The man who looked as if he could have been as old as his grandmother continued, "Why you've been a busy boy, have you not?"

Benny smart-alecky replied, "Depends on your definition."

"Benny!" Ethan sharply whispered, "I wouldn't push these guys."

Woman #1 started, "Well how about your definition of 'vanquish'? You brutally destroyed vampire, Jesse Black in the midst of yet another supernatural scandal over this town."

"No, I _vanquished _Jesse Black in the midst of him attempting to rape and murder my best friend, _after _he killed his parents!" Benny snapped back.

Man #2 yelled, "No son, you took justice into your own hands. Justice fused with undeniable vengeance. Your grandmother and I'm sure that seer sitting next to you will admit your magic has been on a rampage due to uncontrollable rage."

Benny laughed, Evelyn's face turned to stone as she saw Benny _laughing_, she knew her grandson was in the right, but there were protocols against this kind of thing, "_Uncontrollable rage_? Nah, I was _protecting_ my best friend! If I hadn't shown up and did what I did, there is no telling what Jesse could have done."

Woman #2 asked then looked at Ethan and asked him, "Mr. Morgan, what do you think would have occurred had your friend not shown up and _destroyed _the vampire the way he did?"

Ethan looked at Benny; he saw the look in Benny's eyes and on his face, he knew Benny wasn't taking this seriously. Despite carelessness on some things, Ethan knew Benny had a pretty decent sense of right and wrong, but it didn't seem to matter in neither the vampire council's eyes nor the spell caster's committee's either. Ethan answered, "I don't have to think about it, I _know _what would have happened. Jesse was..." Ethan trailed, not wanting to answer. Shame and humiliation were beginning to take over again. "He w-would have either a-assaulted me both physically and s-sexually in front of my sister, or he would have done it to her and made me watch. Either way, I feel the outcome would have been traumatic."

Evelyn chimed in, "I think my grandson went overboard as far as how he dealt with Jesse, but his intentions were pure and his heart was in the right place. Even if his magic has been haywire this week, he hasn't harmed anyone innocent, unlike what these proceedings are trying to depict. Jesse Black was not innocent; he truly never has been as far back as his life span went."

Man #3 added, "Well Evelyn, we respect your views along with what you've done for this town, this committee and the supernatural world, not just spell casters, wizards, witches, et cetera. But for centuries we've had proper procedures and your grandson broke that, despite how pure his intentions were. He _obliterated _his victim."

"_My_ _victim_?! Let's get it straight, that ass was _not _a _victim_, he was far from it." Benny snapped.

Both Evelyn and Ethan knew that Benny's outbursts, despite how true they were, were doing nothing but adding fuel to an already blazing fire.

Sarah, Rory, and Erica were outside the Weir home, ringing the doorbell and knocking, but there was no answer. "Something's wrong." Sarah said worriedly, looking into a nearby window, in which she saw nothing but darkness. She knew Ms. Weir had some pretty decent curtains hanging in her living room, but Sarah knew this blockage wasn't the work of curtains.

Rory stuck his ear to the door, "I can't hear anything inside, maybe they're not home?!"

"The car is still in the driveway, Rory. I agree Sarah, something's up." Erica looked around the neighborhood street; nothing was out of the ordinary except the police cruisers that seemed to come through the neighborhood more often. Erica deduced it had to be because of the murder.

"Well you're in serious trouble young man, you broke a four centuries' old law, and must be held accountable." Man #1 said. They all then stood from their seats and aimed their hands in Benny's direction.

Benny stood in fear, planning to flee, "What the-?" Was all Benny could say before they instantly threw all their magic in his direction, hitting Benny directly in the chest and torso. He fell to the floor and Benny was screaming loudly in pain. The five beings still using their magic to harm Benny. Evelyn turned away, she knew what they had planned to do, she couldn't watch. Ethan on the other hand was watching in horror at what they were doing to Benny.

"BENNY!" Ethan yelled, not getting in the path of the magic that was surrounding his friend. Ethan looked from his hurting friend to the ones responsible for his pain, "WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING, STOP, YOU'RE HURTING HIM!" Ethan looked to Evelyn who had a look of despair and disbelief on her face. "GRANDMA, DO SOMETHING!"

Evelyn sadly shook her head, a tear falling from her eye, "I'm sorry dear, there's nothing I can do!"

The five members of the council then abruptly stopped, one of the men holding what appeared to be a glowing purple orb, no bigger than a baseball. He walked over and handed it to Evelyn, "We shall leave the young one's possessions in your hands Evelyn. We hope you decide an adequate time to return his powers."

Evelyn simply nodded as one of the women chimed in with, "He should consider himself lucky." She looked over to Benny who was unconscious on the floor, Ethan holding Benny in his lap. "If it were anyone else, they certainly would have faced a worse fate."

"I know." Evelyn said softly, nodding in agreement. The other woman put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Man #2 gathered his things and said, "Well if there is no further business, I say we adjourn this meeting."

"Agreed." They all said in unison, all clapping once at the same time. The sound echoed throughout the Weir home. As Ethan and Evelyn blinked, all there was, was a flash of bright light followed by a cloud of smoke, which had filled the living room; Evelyn's living room returning to its original state.

Ethan was still on the floor, holding a now unconscious Benny. Ethan whispered to Evelyn, eyes focused on Benny, "Why'd they do this to him? He was just trying to protect me, he always was."

"I know that dear, we all know that." Evelyn said walking over to him, crouching down to check her grandson's pulse, she placed her fingers on his wrist. "It's weak, but it's there. Help me get him on the couch, Ethan." She saw the terrified look in Ethan's eyes, Ethan was just staring at Benny. "Ethan," Evelyn called again, this time he looked at her.

"Sorry," Ethan whispered as he grabbed Benny under his arms, while Ms. Weir grabbed his legs and they carried him to the couch, gently placing him on it. Ethan kneeled on the floor by Benny, holding one of his hands.

"Accountability," Evelyn simply stated. Ethan looked at her confused, she continued, "It's why the assembly did what they did. We take a very dim view on killing creatures of any form; human, animals, demons, vampires, so on and so forth. Benny wasn't in any form of battle with Jesse. He pretty much just showed up and ended him. With all that had happened prior to Jesse's death, he would have been held accountable by the vampire council, however Benny's rendered that moot by destroying Jesse... it is why I warned him to contain him, not kill him."

Ethan asked her, not taking his eyes off of Benny, "What happens to Benny?"

Evelyn pulled the orb out of her pockets, "This is his magic. I have been tasked to hold his powers until I see fit. But the council wants me to give him a mandatory two weeks time without them. I know it might not seem like it, but believe me, this could have turned out to be much worse."

Outside the vampires were outside lying on the ground, holding their heads. A huge force of magic had knocked them away from the Weir home. Erica was the first to get off of the ground, "What… what happened?" She said groaning, grabbing her head, walking over to Sarah.

"I don't know." Sarah saw Erica coming over her hand reached out, Sarah grabbed it and pulled herself off of the ground, knocking dirt off of her pants.

"HELP, GIRLS, HELP! I CAN'T SEE!" Rory yelled, rolling around on the ground.

Erica groaned in irritation, as Sarah snapped at him, "Open your eyes, Rory! Geez!"

"Oh." Rory said flatly, opening his eyes, "Well that's better," he said as a goofy smile grew on his face. He jumped up off of the ground, "What happened?! I thought we were trying to see if Ms. Weir was home?!"

Erica looked at the house, "We can see inside now."

They all cautiously walked back to the front door, Rory frantically ringing the doorbell. The three waited in anticipation as Evelyn opened the door, a tear falling from her eye. The three vampires' facial expressions sharply changed as they saw this.

"Oh God, what's happened now?" Sarah asked worriedly.

Evelyn wiped her fallen tear and motioned to them, "Come in kids," she said softly.

**To be continued.**

**End of chapter 20. You have to review to see if Benny's going to be okay guys! Come on, do it for Benny! Do it for ETHAN! **

**Meanwhile I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! Hopefully I update this story (or either CLUELESS and/or REPRISE) again BEFORE Christmas, but you all know me! Where is My Babysitter's a Vampire Season 3 or the 2nd movie?! Golly GEEZ! What's taking so LONG!**


	21. Infirmus

**TETHERED**

Chapter 21: _Infirmus_

**"**_**To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.**_**" - Bertrand Russell**

The vampires cautiously walked back to the Weir's front door, Rory was frantically ringing the doorbell. The three waited in anticipation as Evelyn opened the door, a tear falling from her eye. The three vampires' facial expressions sharply changed to shock as they saw this.

"Oh God, what's happened now?" Sarah asked worriedly.

Evelyn wiped her fallen tear and motioned to them, "Come in kids," she said softly.

In the Weir's living room, a powerless Benny lay unconscious on the couch, Ethan kneeled on the floor by the couch holding his hand, begging Benny to wake, as confirmation to know that his friend was truly okay. Ethan had seen a lot of things, but Benny's powers being taken had to top his list as _the_ worst; and he could not even imagine how it felt for Benny.

Evelyn and the vampires stood in the vestibule, watching Ethan and Benny, in sadness for both really. "Actions have consequences. It had to be done." Evelyn said to them. "Had the circumstances been different, we would have had to vote that Benny be put to death."

Rory made a loud gasp sound, "But he was just trying to _protect_ Ethan and Jane."

"That was taken into account, that's why he only lost his powers." Evelyn said placing a hand on Rory's shoulder.

Sarah looked around, "Where _is _Jane anyway?"

"She wanted to go outside and play with one of the neighbor kids. I didn't think it would be the worst of ideas. She's has had to endure enough."

Erica continued to stare at Ethan who seemed to be in a deep trance, just staring at Benny, "What about poor Ethan?"

"Unfortunately I couldn't shield him from this… I was the one who had to summon the both of them back here." Evelyn answered solemnly. Sarah and Erica were nodding, knowing now it's why Ethan and Benny suddenly disappeared earlier. "Ethan hasn't left Benny's side since it happened." Sarah wryly laughed. Evelyn noticed this, asking her, "What is it dear?"

Sarah recalled what she hadn't too long ago told Benny, "Benny was jarring with the guys at the vampire council, he wanted to retaliate. I warned him not to for the obvious reasons, but also because it would probably push Ethan to the point of no return if he lost Benny too."

"Undoubtedly," Evelyn said looking at the two boys, "What of the vampire council?"

Erica scoffed, "They're pretty much turning a blind eye to what Jesse had done and they basically want us to help them cover this up, and even the police department's involved."

"I'm not really surprised that there are vampires on the police department payroll with all the almost daily strange happenings around this town." Evelyn said.

Sarah saw the depressed look on Evelyn's face, "You gonna be okay Grandma?"

"I'll be fine, honey. I just felt powerless watching them basically tear Benny apart for his powers." She then reached in her pocket for a purple glowing ball of energy. "I also feel responsible because I had to help in making that brainless decision. As much as I tried to show them that Benny was just doing what was right, the more they wanted to persecute Benny for doing it," she sighed, "we agreed on a two week deferment of returning his magic..." Evelyn trailed.

"You want to give it back now." Erica said finishing her sentence.

Evelyn simply nodded, looking at her unconscious grandson, "As I said, actions have consequences. Surely as soon if I gave them back to Benny, someone would find out and we'd both likely lose ours, permanently, or worse."

"What do we do in the meantime?" Rory asked.

Sarah answered asking more of a question to Evelyn, "Since they took his powers, it's probably going to take Benny some time to recover?"

"It will, but overall he should be fine. Although it's not him I'm primarily concerned about." She said, looking to Ethan who was approaching them.

Ethan walked up to the four, "Hey guys," he said in a depressed tone to his friends.

"Hi Ethan." Sarah spoke softly; Erica and Rory couldn't find it in them to say anything. The whole situation was one that truly left them all speechless.

Ethan looked at Evelyn, "I'm going to get a blanket and pillow from Benny's room to make him comfortable."

"Yes dear that's a good idea." Evelyn said, all four watching Ethan slowly walk up the stairs. Just then the telephone rang, "Oh dear, I wonder who this is." Evelyn walked over to answer the phone.

The three vampires just looked from Ethan to Benny, "Rory, go upstairs and help Ethan." Sarah asked of him.

"Ethan needs help getting a pillow and blanket?" Rory asked her, then noticing the harsh look on her face, "Oh… never mind, sure I'll go and help."

Erica and Sarah then walked over to Benny's bedside or couch-side as the case may be. Sarah stroked loose hairs out of his face as Erica commented, "It's funny, I like him better awake and spouting nonsense than unconscious and in pain."

"Ms. Weir doesn't seem too worried, not about Benny's recovery. I agree with her, we need to worry about Ethan. It's like everything has been piling on him like a ton of bricks. I'm waiting for him to just explode, or worse." Sarah said in utter disbelief of the day's events.

Upstairs Rory knocked on Benny's door, "Ethan?" He gently pushed the door back to see Ethan curled up in a ball on Benny's bed, hugging Benny's pillow and crying into it. Rory rushed over to hug Ethan, in a calm voice Rory asked him, "Ethan, what's wrong?"

"I-I saw this, Rory." Ethan cried into the pillow. Rory just continued to hold Ethan and looked at him while he explained. "I had a _vision_ that something bad was going to happen to Benny! And as always, I said _nothing _to anybody! That's how all of this started, if I had been more forthcoming about what was happening to me; then _none of this _would have _ever _happened!" Ethan shouted.

Rory gripped Ethan tighter, "You don't know that for sure, Ethan. Don't your powers show you the inevitable?" Ethan looked at Rory and simply nodded, "Then would it have really mattered if you told anyone or not?" Ethan simply shook his head, wiping a tear out of his eye. Rory put his hands on Ethan's shoulders and said calmly, "You could have had the vision _weeks _ago and it still wouldn't have mattered if you had warned Benny about it. Sooner or later it was bound to happen. There is nothing that anyone could have done to stop it."

Ethan agreed with Rory, probably for the first time ever, "You know, I don't say this often Rory, but, you're right." Rory brightly smiled as Ethan continued, still holding his depressed tone, "But still, it's not fair, not to Benny. If it wasn't for Benny, Rory, I think my whole family would be dead, myself included or worse, Jesse'd have gone after you all… and left me."

Rory stared at Ethan.

Downstairs, Evelyn put her phone back on the receiver, shaking her head, "Well that was Ethan's aunt and uncle, they're in town but they've run into some trouble making arrangements with Ross' body, with the police. Seeing as how he was _murdered _and it's an ongoing police investigation."

"So what are they going to do?" Erica asked curiously.

Evelyn shook her head, she wasn't really sure, "I can't say honestly. They're at the police station now answering questions and doing paperwork. John thinks they're just going to wind up checking into the hotel, and see Ethan and Jane tomorrow."

"What a mess." Sarah commented sorrowfully, watching Benny's unconscious form, resting on the couch.

Rory and Ethan then came off the stairs, Ethan with a pillow and blanket in tow. Sarah saw Ethan's red eyes and face. "You okay Ethan?" She asked softly.

"I am." He said clearing his throat and faking a smile. Rory was behind him shaking his head 'no', Sarah saw this.

Evelyn decided to tell Ethan about his relatives, hoping to bring a bit of good news to him, "Ethan dear, your aunt and uncle are in town. They'll be staying at a hotel tonight, today they're at the police station answering a few questions and sorting out some paperwork."

"Do they _really _know what happened?" Ethan asked softly, draping the blanket over Benny and gently tucking the pillow under his head, almost not even listening to Evelyn. It's not that he didn't care about his relatives coming, but at that moment in time, it felt the only people in the Weir living room were himself and an almost lifeless Benny.

Evelyn responded, "It didn't appear that they did." Evelyn and the vampires could just only look from Ethan to Benny in silence; it was a situation that no one could seem to wrap their heads around.

_Meanwhile in Benny's unconsciousness, he was having a dream of sorts, and he was confused in it. He was standing outside his elementary school on a beautiful sunny day. It confused him, he didn't know if he was awake, asleep, or worse, dead. "This is crazy." Benny whispered, looking around in shock and utter confusion._

"_You should remember this day, Benny." A woman's voice echoed._

_Benny jumped in surprise at the sudden soft and oddly familiar voice, "Who's there?!" Benny yelled looking around in a circle in a defensive stance._

"_Look closer, Benny." The voice asked of him._

_Benny looked to see some a bunch of young children playing on the school's playground, except for two boys who were sitting by their lonesome, one boy seeming to console another one who had been crying. "I remember you telling me about this day, Benny. Some bullies stole Ethan's lunch and you offered him yours… and in this same day you protected him from those same bullies after they terrorized him on the playground."_

_Benny sharply turned around to see a pretty woman standing there with long brown hair, a nice smile on her face, and tears in her eyes. "MOM!" Benny yelled rushing to hug her tightly. She was surprised at first before embracing her son back. He quickly let her go as he realized something that scared him, "If you're here… am I?"_

"_No dear, only sleeping." She answered, "Call it a dream, a vision, your subconscious, something surreal or even spiritual or supernatural if you'd like." She saw a smile appear on his face before it quickly fell, "The fact that I'm here tells me you need me to be." She gently grabbed one of his hands, "What's going on sweetie?" She pulled him to a bench that coincidentally seemed to be next to them._

_Benny stared at her in confusion, wondering how she knew something was wrong, "How do you-?"_

"_I'm your mother Benny, I know everything." She partially joked. _

_Benny briefly smiled at that before frowning, "Ethan's parents are dead, and I'm to blame."_

"_How so? Are _you_ the one that killed them?" Mrs. Weir asked him, holding his hands._

_Benny answered on the verge of tears, "No, but there are things that I did that could have avoided them being killed by Jesse!"_

"_Benjamin, I think that you and I both know that that's not true." She said in a soft voice, pulling Benny onto her shoulder, gently playing with his hair. _

_Benny still disagreed with her, "It is true! I left Ethan vulnerable multiple times or I used magic to make things worse for him! Jesse abused Ethan and I wasn't there to stop him! And I've been using magic and it's been all over the place and it's like I can't control it, I-" Benny stopped midsentence crying, "It's all my fault!" _

_Mrs. Weir held Benny in her arms while he cried, rubbing his back and whispering, "There there dear, stop. Calm yourself."_

"_I, I let my best friend get hurt and it's like when I try to make it up to him I make things WORSE! I don't deserve magic!" Benny yelled._

_Mrs. Weir roughly grabbed her son's shoulders, "Benjamin Weir you take that back!" Benny's tear-filled and almost bloodshot looking eyes stared at her when she did this, she continued, "I can't think of anyone better who deserves magic." She held his cheek and wiped away a tear with her thumb. "Okay, so maybe you went a little overboard, so what? At least your heart was in the right place. You were just trying to protect, Ethan… but I think deep down, you already knew this." She kissed the top of his forehead before he then sat up._

"_Th-thanks, mom." Benny said wiping a tear from his eyes, "Not like me to just break down like that. Usually I make some kind of stupid joke instead."_

_Mrs. Weir smiled, "You wouldn't be human if you didn't have emotions. You had to let all of that out at some point dear. Anger, frustration, rage, confusion… even, love." _

"_Love?" Benny questioned._

_His mother smiled, "Come on Benny, there is more to this talk than just your magic. You love him don't you?"_

"_Of course I do mom! He's my best friend!" Benny snapped._

_She continued to smile, "No dear, I mean, you're _in love _with him."_

"_I-I-I…" Benny stammered before looking at her confused, then looking at the ground in thought. "I don't know." He whispered unsure of how he truly felt about Ethan, he had never really thought about it until now. But he did know that things were definitely different between them. _

_Benny's mother decided to break it down for him, "Dear, you've gone through great lengths to protect and help your friend. I'm sure you'd do so for any of them, but I think the fact that you're willing to lose everything without a second thought for Ethan says something." Benny then looked at his mother intently, "Some might call that a true sign of friendship… I think it's also a sign of true love and devotion." _

_Benny sat there speechless wondering how his mother, his deceased mother, seemed to know more about what was going on in his own life that he. She continued, "Well think about it dear, your magic seems to misfire when you see him hurting right?" _

_Benny simply nodded, looking at his hands recalling a few times it did, "Yeah, I almost hurt Rory and I might have broke a guy's nose." Mrs. Weir's eyes bulged, "What?!" Benny shouted defensively, "Mom I, I couldn't help it, I felt almost compelled to do it, for Ethan!"_

"_All of those things, that was your magic playing off your emotions. I know you sweetie, you deflect with jokes and shenanigans, but deep down, you feel things too." His mom continued, grabbing one of his hands, "I think you've also been feeling guilty, helpless, sorrowful, in mourning, and even powerless… which is quite literally now."_

_Benny was on the verge of crying, "S-so what do I do now?"_

"_Tell Ethan how you really feel about him, Benny," She answered, "But before you tell Ethan, you have to admit it to yourself first."_

_Benny sat there pondering what his mother was saying, before he looked at her with a smile, something he hadn't really done in days, "Thanks mom," he whispered._

"_Don't mention it, baby." She said kissing his forehead._

_Benny chuckled, or made what sounded like a chuckled, "I miss you, mom."_

"_I miss you too dear." She responded, wrapping her arms around him._

_Benny asked her, "What if he hates me afterwards?"_

"_Honey, you two are so inseparable until it's not even funny. Trust me Benny; you two are going to be friends forever, whatever the outcome." _

_Benny wasn't as optimistic, "You think so, mom?"_

"_I know it to be so honey." She answered getting stray hairs out of his face. "You must also continue to protect him dear."_

_Benny agreed, "Of course mom, always. Not just E, but all my friends."_

"_No dear, I mean there is an impending danger soon to befall Ethan, and he's going to need you dear." _

_Benny groaned as his mother said this, "Mom, how much more does Ethan have to take?!" Benny made a click sound with his teeth, "What's to come mom?" He asked irate._

"_I'm not entirely sure Benny, but know this; Ethan will be crossing paths with many people over the course of the next few days. Someone presenting themselves as having his best interests at heart, are in fact quite the opposite, they are looking to harm him." She answered, fear in her tone._

"_Do you know who it is?" Benny asked her, "Maybe if I know _who _it is I can try and stop them."_

_Ms. Weir shook her head, "I don't know Benny, but I trust you'll figure out who before something happens to Ethan."_

"_What if I don't, what if I fail, I don't even have my magic!" Benny yelled._

_Ms. Weir chuckled, "You will bring down anyone who hurts Ethan, magic or not… so, how're Evelyn and your father?" She said wanting to change the conversation for Benny's sake._

_Benny then looked at the ground, "Gram's fine… dad's disappeared."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry dear. I know he took losing me hard, but he should have stayed for you." She grabbed Benny's hand, "His loss though, he's missing out on seeing just what kind of young man you're becoming… I am _so _proud of you."_

_Just then a silent wind began to rustle around them. It wasn't an eerie wind, it was a gentle one. "It's time…" Mrs. Weir said softly._

"_No." Benny whined, hugging his mother, "I don't want to leave; I want to stay here with you."_

_Ms. Weir chuckled, "I know baby, but you have to go. Besides, I can think of at least two people who'd miss you as much as you miss me."_

_The wind around them got stronger as the light around them got brighter._

_Benny's voice echoed, "Will I ever see you again?"_

"_Anytime you need me dear." She said wrapping him in a tight hug. _

_A tear fell from Benny's eye as he whispered, "I love you, mom."_

"_I love you too Benjamin, now, wake up." She said softly._

_Benny then blinked sharply, he was confused, "Wake up?" _

"_Yes dear, just please, wake up." His mother's voice said slightly altered. _

_Benny sat there confused, he was about to look at his mother once more before there was a bright white light that blinded his vision, followed by a huge crashing sound, before then it all went dark._

The next thing Benny knew, he heard a familiar voice whispering to him, begging to him, "Benny _please_, be alright." The voice begged, "This is all my fault, I should be the one lying here not you." Benny was beginning to wake up as he felt something gripping one of his hands, "Benny, if you can hear me, wake up, _please_." Benny hadn't yet opened his eyes, but he picked up on the voice, the voice that was soft but full of sadness, Ethan's.

Benny then gripped the hand that was holding his, Ethan gasped, "Benny?" Benny made unrecognizable mumbling sounds before trying to talk. "Don't talk B," Ethan said softly, "I'll go wake grandma."

"D-don't." Benny hoarsely said, grabbing Ethan's wrist. Ethan looked at Benny, Benny saw the look of concern that was all over his best friend's face, "I'm fine E, let grandma rest."

Ethan asked presumptuously, "So you remember what happened?"

"The last thing I remember was my magic being forcibly removed from me, the jerks." Benny said quietly, "How long have I been out?" He asked.

Ethan answered, "Four days."

"FOUR DAYS!" Benny snapped, before seeing a smile growing on Ethan's face, "Dude come on, seriously?"

Ethan told him how long he'd really been unconscious, "Eight hours." Then their joking moods changed back to serious ones as Ethan admitted, "Benny I thought you were a goner."

"E, you know it'll take more than someone sucking out my magic to get me." Benny joked. Ethan looked away from Benny. "What's wrong?"

Ethan whispered, "I saw it, Benny."

"I'm sure it was horrible to watch, it sure didn't feel good on my end." Benny placed a hand his stomach; it being one of the areas where they hit him.

Ethan corrected guiltily, "No Benny, I saw it in a vision."

"Ethan…" Benny said in a warning tone, knowing what Ethan was about to say and do next; which is blame himself for what happened not only to himself, but to Benny too.

And sure enough, predictable Ethan began, "Benny, I should have told you. That way you could at least been _prepared _for what was going to happen to you, even if it couldn't be stopped! And please don't tell me it's not my fault, because it is!" Benny sat there in silence just staring at Ethan, "Well say something B!"

"Well you said don't say it's not your fault, if I can't say that, then there's nothing else to say. We both know with your visions, knowing what's to come doesn't matter, it's coming. We could have prepared for the council or my grandma's powerful friends but it wouldn't have mattered." Benny was about to continue when he was engulfed in a strong hug. "E… too tight!" Benny gagged.

Ethan loosened his grip on Benny, "I'm just glad you're alright." Ethan whispered.

They both pulled back from the hug as they both deeply stared at each other. Benny's mother's words were echoing in his mind.

"_Tell Ethan how you really feel about him, Benny,_" the words echoed.

Benny immediately grabbed Ethan and pulled him to him, kissing him directly on the lips. A move Benny initially feared as Ethan did nothing, he didn't even push Benny away… in fact, Benny noticed that Ethan was kissing him back just as much. They stayed like that for a good 30 seconds until they both pulled away, heavily breathing, resuming their staring at each other. Benny made a soft chuckle sound.

Then Ethan's eyes bulged and a look of fear came across his face and Benny noticed this,  
>"Are you okay, E?" Ethan didn't respond or do anything, "I-I'm sorry E, it just felt like the right thing to do. I'm <em>so <em>sorry if I did something wrong, Ethan!"

"No…" Ethan whispered, before yelling "NO!" and taking off upstairs in a flash.

Benny yelled to him, "Ethan, wait!" He then heard a door slam upstairs, Benny let out a deep sigh after. "Anymore great advice, _mom_?" Benny asked dryly, sitting there in utter disbelief in what just happened.

"_**Death ends a life, not a relationship.**_**" - Mitch Albom**

**End of chapter 21. **

**I meant to update before Christmas. I've been wracking my brain over this chapter, I actually purposely made a cliff out of chapter 20 so I could start this chapter – that's when I pretty much got writer's block and I went through dozen's of scenarios for Benny and Ethan in this chapter; I was either going to make it an Ethan chapter or a Benny chapter, so this is what my mind came to. **

**And yes, it appears Ethan will wind up in danger yet again, and I don't think anyone (other than Benny) will see it coming!**

**A lame idea and some cheesy and sucky writing I'm sure, but the thought of Benny's dead mother giving him some guidance here is what came to me. In the series his mother's not even mentioned, so I'm just going on the assumption she's dead – besides if she is, it makes Benny an even more interesting character. The quotes were just something to get my 'creative juices' flowing for this chapter (and even this story again), might continue using quotes to cleverly use in these chapters, might not, just depends. **

**Wish Canada would get it gear and do SOMETHING for the show or the movie, ANYTHING! In the U.S. were approaching the three year mark (this October) since it stopped airing on Disney Channel.**


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